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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #420495
Research Project: Approaches to Dietary and Physical Activity Guidelines Adherence

Location: Healthy Body Weight Research

Title: Perspectives on ultra-processed food research: critical questions and next steps

Author
item PROMSCHMIDT, CLAUDIA - University Of North Dakota
item VILLANO, DANIELLE - University Of North Dakota
item Hess, Julie

Submitted to: Nutrition Today
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/4/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are a much discussed topic among the nutrition research community, healthcare practitioners, and lay media. This article present the current status of the research on UPFs, addressing both observational research and clinical trials, as well as a discussion on the limitations of this work. Some of these limitations include the challenge of determining which foods are "ultra-processed" and how the inconsistent definition of UPFs affects the applicability of the scientific literature. This article closes with an overview of gaps in research on UPFs as well as considerations for clinical practitioners.

Technical Abstract: “Ultra-processed” food (UPF) has become a popular topic of discussion within the nutrition science community and among consumers as well. Many lay media pieces have focused on this topic, highlighting the controversies within the scientific community and policy implications. This topic is even being considered for inclusion in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as it has been identified as a topic meriting a scientific literature review. While many publications address this emerging research topic, our understanding of the potential health implications of consuming UPFs is hindered by the lack of a consistent definition of UPFs being used in the literature and by the lack of a consistent application of existing UPF definitions. While Nova is the most used classification system to identify UPFs, there is not yet consensus on how to utilize this system. The nutrition science and practice communities must recognize and address the consequences of an imprecisely defined type of food that has now gained much traction in policy circles around the world. In the absence of a consistently applied definition, research continues, and both the substantial body of observational research and the randomized controlled feeding trial indicate harms to consuming UPFs. Without a consistent or consistently applied definition for UPF, it is not clear what results of these studies indicate. A detailed review of methodology used in UPF studies is needed to identify commonalities in the definition of UPFs as it is being actively used in research. This type of investigation will help us to determine if the nutrient profile of certain foods may be directing their impact on health rather than the “level” of processing.