A 20-year-old volunteer, Sam Srisatta, is dedicating a month to groundbreaking nutritional research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Maryland. Alongside 35 other participants, he is helping scientists uncover the effects of ultraprocessed foods—items that make up nearly 70% of the U.S. food supply—on health and weight management.
Each day begins at 7 a.m. with vital checks, weight measurements, and the collection of stool samples. Occasionally, blood tests and metabolic analyses measure calorie burn during rest. Meals, carefully prepared and monitored, are eaten within strict timeframes to track consumption. Participants live under close observation in the Metabolic Clinical Research Unit, where their activities, from exercising to relaxing, are controlled to ensure precise results.
What Are Ultraprocessed Foods?
According to Kevin Hall, lead investigator from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, ultraprocessed foods are industrial formulations packed with sugars, salts, and fats that maximize taste appeal, often making them irresistible. These foods are associated with obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even shorter lifespans. Despite this, they dominate diets in many countries, including the U.S.
Key Research Questions
Hall’s team aims to determine why ultraprocessed foods drive overeating. A 2019 study revealed that participants consumed an extra 500 calories per day on ultraprocessed diets compared to minimally processed ones, leading to significant weight changes. A similar Japanese study showed an even higher surplus of 813 calories. This new study tweaks ultraprocessed meals to test two theories:
- Energy Density: High calorie content packed into small portions may promote overconsumption.
- Hyperpalatability: Foods engineered with specific combinations of salt, sugar, and fat trigger excessive eating.
Participants alternate between diets rich in ultraprocessed or minimally processed foods, some altered to control these factors. Meals include items like yogurt with sweetened syrup and deli meats alongside whole vegetables and grains to test different impacts.
Broader Implications
Obesity is a growing crisis, with more than half the global population predicted to be overweight or obese by 2035. Findings from this research may shape the U.S. 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines, which will guide nutrition policies nationwide.
Although preliminary evidence links ultraprocessed foods to poor health, defining and regulating them remains controversial. Current studies often lack sufficient duration or participants, complicating regulatory decisions. Experts stress the need for robust, long-term trials to understand the full scope of these foods’ effects.
The Future of Food Research
As the study continues, Hall and his team hope to identify strategies to mitigate the harm of ultraprocessed foods without eliminating them entirely. The findings, expected in a few years, could pave the way for healthier diets and better regulatory frameworks.
“This research is just one step in understanding how our food environment impacts health,” Hall explains. “We need more resources to advance this critical work.”
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