A prominent heart surgeon has highlighted four foods “proven to shorten your lifespan”. Dr Jeremy London, a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon with over 25 years of clinical experience, routinely shares health advice and guidance through social media and interviews. And he is not the only medical expert raising concerns about the effect these foods can have on your longevity and wellbeing.

A leading heart surgeon has brought attention to four foods that are “proven to reduce your lifespan.” Dr. Jeremy London, an experienced cardiovascular surgeon with more than 25 years in clinical practice, frequently disseminates health tips and advice via social media and interviews. He is among several healthcare professionals raising alarms about how these foods can negatively impact longevity and overall health.

• Alcohol
• Processed meats
• Sugary drinks
• Excess saturated fats

In a social media video, Dr. London pointed out a set of foods that are “proven” to cut your lifespan short:

Discussing sugary drinks, also known as soft drinks or fizzy beverages, Dr. London warned that they are “empty calories” that “never satiate hunger.” He dubbed them “liquid death” and emphatically advised, “Just don’t consume them. End of story.”

During an interview with Today, he elaborated on his use of the term “liquid death,” explaining, “I believe soft drinks are a significant problem in our society, and I wanted to draw attention to that. The high-calorie content in these sugar-laden beverages catches people off guard, and consuming them is a major mistake.”

Dr. London is not alone in his criticism of sugary soft drinks. Dr. William Li recently shared on the Zoe Science and Nutrition podcast: “A wealth of clinical evidence indicates that high soda consumption is linked to various health issues, from metabolic disorders to cardiovascular diseases and increased cancer risk.”

Regarding alcohol and processed meats, the World Health Organization classifies both as Group 1 carcinogens, indicating they are cancer-causing to humans. This does not guarantee cancer development with consumption, but the WHO clarifies: “This classification is used when there is substantial evidence of carcinogenicity in humans, meaning there is convincing proof that the agent causes cancer.”

Dr London clarified that his mention of “excess saturated fats” was meant to encompass “high fat meat, butter, high fat dairy, things of these nature”.

However, other prominent scientists may take issue with this. Notably, Professor Sarah Berry, a nutrition and cardio-metabolic health specialist at Kings College London, told the Zoe Science and Nutrition podcast that the “biggest myth that frustrates me is that dairy is high in saturated fat and therefore increases your risk of heart disease and it doesn’t”.

Ultra-processed foods are, however, frequently laden with saturated fat, as well as sugar and salt. There is also a growing body of scientific opinion suggesting that ultra-processed foods are considerably more harmful to our health than was once believed. Dr Li, a world-renowned physician and researcher specialising in cancer and the link between diet and health, told the Zoe podcast: “More and more research is showing that the consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with a higher risk and a higher disease burden… including cancer.”

In his video, Dr London further noted that complete avoidance of the foods he highlighted was not necessarily the aim, stating that managing to eat healthily 80% of the time is “a win”. He said: “Look, I understand that life gets in the way and it’s difficult to follow a nutritional plan. For me personally, 80% of the time, that’s a win. Now, understand that what you want to shoot for is reducing these things, living in moderation. What you want to avoid is having any or all of these things foundational in your nutritional plan.”

The World Health Organisation says processed meat refers to “meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavour or improve preservation”. It says most processed meats contain pork or beef, but processed meats may also contain other red meats, poultry, offal, or meat by-products such as blood and gives the following examples of processed meat:

• hot dogs (frankfurters)
• ham
• sausages
• corned beef
• biltong or beef jerky
• canned meat
• meat-based preparations and sauces.

A recent report from the then-surgeon general of the US Public Health Service cautioned that alcohol consumption has been directly associated with at least seven forms of cancer, and that even light or moderate drinking can elevate your risk of developing the disease.

Dr Ernest Hawk, vice president and head of the division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, made his position clear to the New York Times: “There is no safe level of alcohol when it comes to cancer risk.”