Modern Food Systems and the Rise of Medicalised Weight Loss: The Cardiovascular Consequences

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains one of the leading global causes of morbidity and mortality despite advances in medical, nutritional and lifestyle management. Concurrently, ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption has increased, which has been associated with obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and cardiovascular events. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have shown significant reductions in body weight and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in high-risk populations; however, concerns remain regarding their long-term use. This review aims to evaluate the data surrounding UPF consumption on cardiovascular health and the effect of GLP-IRAs on CVD.