Mixed
High intake of ultra-processed foods (UPF) is associated with increased risk of obesity and adverse health outcomes (CVD, cancer, T2DM, mortality), and this association remains significant and unchanged in magnitude even after adjusting for dietary quality or overall dietary pattern.
Prioritize minimally processed foods. While improving the nutrient profile of processed foods is good, simply choosing 'low-fat' or 'low-sugar' versions of ultra-processed items may not protect against obesity and chronic disease risks. The act of ultra-processing itself appears to contribute to health issues regardless of nutrient content.
We find that the majority of the associations between UPFs, obesity and health-related outcomes remain significant and unchanged in magnitude after adjustment for diet quality or pattern. Our findings suggest that the adverse consequences of UPFs are independent of dietary quality or pattern...
Why this rating
Based on a review of 37 prospective cohort studies with longitudinal data, though observational nature limits causal inference compared to RCTs.
Source
The Role of Diet Quality in Mediating the Association between Ultra-Processed Food Intake, Obesity and Health-Related Outcomes: A Review of Prospective Cohort Studies
Samuel J. Dicken et al. · Nutrients · 2021
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