This article discusses two studies published in the BMJ, or British Medical Journal, that found that the more ultraprocessed — or industrially manufactured — foods (such as french fries, hamburgers, potato chips, cookies, and hot dogs) a person ate, the more likely they were to get sick and even die. In addition to causing weight gain, processed foods, with all their additives, sugar and lack of fiber, may be formulated in ways that disturb the gut microbiome, the trillions of diverse bacteria lining our intestines and colon. Those disturbances, in turn, may heighten the risk of chronic disease and encourage overeating.