A recent study by researchers at Virginia Tech's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute has revealed that meals with identical nutritional content can lead to differing metabolic responses based on their level of processing. The study involved 57 healthy-weight adults who consumed either an ultraprocessed food (UPF) meal or a minimally processed meal.
Read More
The findings indicated that meals rich in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats prompted participants to release more insulin and expend more energy while utilizing fewer carbohydrates for energy. This aligns with previous smaller studies suggesting that even when calories, sugar, fat, fiber, and micronutrients are matched, individuals tend to consume more calories and gain weight on ultraprocessed diets compared to those that include minimally processed foods.
The study also coincided with a federal report indicating that over half of the calories consumed by most Americans come from ultraprocessed foods. Specifically, about 55% of total calories consumed by Americans aged 1 and older were derived from these sources during the surveyed period. For adults, ultraprocessed foods comprised around 53% of their total calorie intake, while for children and teenagers up to age 18, the figure was close to 62%.
The primary contributors to ultraprocessed calorie consumption included burgers and sandwiches, sweet baked goods, savory snacks, pizza, and sweetened beverages. The report noted variations, with younger children consuming fewer calories from ultraprocessed sources than older children, and adults 60 and older consuming less than their younger counterparts. Additionally, low-income adults reported higher consumption of ultraprocessed foods compared to those with higher incomes.