Hormonal
Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption drives overconsumption and weight gain independently of macronutrient composition, energy density, or fiber content, primarily by hijacking brain reward systems and creating neurological addiction.
Stop blaming yourself for lack of willpower. Your brain's reward system is likely hijacked by ultra-processed foods, making it biologically difficult to stop eating. Focus on eliminating UPFs entirely (abstinence) rather than trying to moderate them, as this addresses the root neurological cause of overconsumption.
Subjects on the ultra-processed diet ate an average of 508 extra calories daily and gained significant weight, while subjects on the unprocessed diet lost significant weight... Despite the small sample size, the tightly controlled conditions of this experiment shed light on the power of food processing, in and of itself, to drive overconsumption and weight gain.
Why this rating
Supported by a randomized controlled trial (Hall et al.) and extensive neurobiological literature, though the specific treatment protocols are observational or nascent.
Source
The Badly Behaving Brain: How Ultra-Processed Food Addiction Thwarts Sustained Weight Loss
Susan Peirce Thompson et al. · IntechOpen eBooks · 2024
DOI 10.5772/intechopen.1004428
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