Seventy percent of the American diet constitutes ultra processed foods, which are extremely hazardous for human health.
New studies explore the science regarding why such foods are so addictive, why they are related to obesity, and how they impact the federal dietary guidelines.
Sam Srisatta, a twenty-year-old employee at the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health, has a rigorous morning routine. He weighs leftovers, measures his meals, and keeps an eye on his body for any potential reactions.
Sam is one of 36 participants in a ground-breaking study examining the impacts of ultra processed foods, which make up about 70% of the diet in the United States.
The goal of ultra processed foods, which are manufactured products loaded with artificial additives, sugar, fat, and salt, is to reach the “bliss point” at which they become irresistible.
However, the ramifications for their health are concerning. These foods have been linked in studies to depression, diabetes, cancer, and obesity—diseases that account for half of US fatalities and $4.5 trillion in medical expenses each year.
Participants in previous studies who are ultra processed diets gained weight quickly because they ingested an average of 500 extra calories per day.
Researchers are currently looking at whether excessive overeating is caused by things like energy density and hyper palatability, or how addictive a dish tastes.
As the federal government creates the 2025–2030 dietary guidelines, this research is conducted at a critical juncture.
Ultra Processed foods have not yet been regulated because of a lack of evidence and the expensive cost of research, despite the abundance of observational studies showing the risks.
Experts like Kevin Hall, the head of the NIH study, are currently working to identify the mechanisms underlying the health effects of these meals in order to give policymakers vital information.
The objective is to create a more wholesome food environment for next generations. A step toward improved health in the interim is lowering dependency on highly processed meals.
