Increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods in young adults sharply raises their risk of developing early blood sugar problems tied to diabetes. The study suggests that cutting back on UPFs could help protect long-term metabolic health. Credit: Shutterstock More than half of the calories people consume in the United States come from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which include items such as fast food and packaged snacks that tend to contain large amounts of sodium, added sugars and unhealthy