Eating Chicken Nuggets Increases Your Risk of Early Death, Study Finds

New studies found that eating chicken nuggets significantly increases the chances of early death, and fans of the fast food treat are not happy.

Scientists have conducted new studies on chicken nuggets, finding that the favorite fast food snack carried some serious risk. These included experiments conducted by teams in France and Brazil, and another by the University of Navarra in Spain. They were gathered together for a report by The Mirror, which spelled bad news for fast food fans.

The first study categorized chicken nuggets in a group called "ultra-processed" food, along with other items like fast food burgers, instant noodles, ready-meals and ice cream, among others. The ultra-processed foods were all manufactured through multiple industrial processes and were high in fat, added sugar and salt.

The study from France and Brazil examined the effects of these foods on over 105,000 French adults. It found that a 10 percent increase in the portions of ultra-processed foods was linked to a 12 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease, a 13 percent increase for coronary heart disease and an 11 percent increase in risk for cerebrovascular diseases.

In short, ultra-processed foods seem to affect the blood supply to both the heart and the brain, according to the study. There was also a noted decrease in risk of these diseases linked to unprocessed or minimally processed foods.

The University of Navarra study, meanwhile, took data from about 20,000 adults over the course of 10 years. It found that adults who ate more than four servings of ultra-processed food per day had a 62 percent more likely risk of death from any cause compared to adults who ate less than two servings. Each additional serving over that increased their risk of mortality by 18 percent.

"Improving diet based on adherence to minimally processed food - a key aspect of the Mediterranean diet - has been shown to protect against chronic disease and all cause mortality," noted the researchers.

The conclusion of the two studies sparked many jokes online, where users were horrified but unsurprised by the numbers. The health risks of fast food and other quick meals have been well-known for years, but seeing them laid out in one place was frightening to some.

"Here for a good time, not a long time," wrote Twitter user Mela Suarez, summing up the issue in many people's take on the issue.

"If eating chicken nuggets increases your chances of an early death than I, for one, am surprised I'm still here," added radio host Seth Toupal.

So far, fast food manufacturers have not issued a response to the Mirror article.