Oman faces rising health risks as ultra-processed foods dominate local diets

A new study reveals over 70% of food products in Oman are ultra-processed, highlighting the growing dietary health crisis fueled by industrial foods and the urgent need for consumer education and reformulation efforts.

Ultra-processed foods are increasingly hard to miss in everyday diets, from soft drinks and packaged snacks to instant noodles, confectionery and ready meals. In simple terms, they are industrially made products that contain ingredients and additives not usually found in home cooking. According to public health guidance and medical summaries, not every processed food is unhealthy, but the ultra-processed category tends to be convenient, inexpensive and highly palatable, which can make it easy to overconsume.

That matters because the health concern is less about whether the body can “recognise” these foods and more about what regular, heavy intake can do over time. Recent medical reviews have linked high consumption of ultra-processed foods with obesity, heart disease, metabolic disruption and other long-term risks, partly because they can displace more nutritious foods and encourage excess calorie intake. A study presented at the ACC Asia 2025 meeting also found that each additional 100 grams a day was associated with higher risks of hypertension, cardiovascular events, cancer, digestive disease and all-cause mortality.

The picture in Oman suggests the issue is not abstract. A study published in the journal Foods examined 221 food and drink products sold in local markets in 2022 and found that 71.5% were ultra-processed, with another 16.7% classed as processed. That points to broad availability across age groups and settings. The concern is sharpened by the 2025 Oman National Survey on non-communicable diseases, which reported high levels of overweight and obesity, low physical activity, hypertension and raised blood glucose among adults.

Experts say the answer is not to treat all packaged food as harmful, but to help consumers distinguish between ordinary processing and ultra-processing. Some industrial products, such as wholegrain bread or yoghurt, can still fit into a healthy diet. The more important task is learning to read labels, spot added sugars, refined starches, emulsifiers, thickeners and other additives, and make choices that prioritise less heavily processed foods.

Public health specialists also argue that the food industry has a role in reducing the sugar, salt and unhealthy fats in processed products, while offering cheaper and healthier alternatives. The American Academy of Family Physicians has said recent evidence suggests the biological effects of frequent ultra-processed food intake may include chronic inflammation, changes in gut bacteria, metabolic problems and altered appetite control. For countries like Oman, where diet-related disease already places pressure on health systems, that makes consumer education and product reformulation increasingly important.