Research
Energy balance
Ultra-processed foods cause increased energy intake and weight gain even when matched for macronutrients and energy content, compared to unprocessed foods.
Avoid ultra-processed foods. Even if they have the same calories and macros as whole foods, you will likely eat more and gain weight. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods to naturally regulate intake.
GoodSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Ultra-processed food consumption led to substantially greater energy intake (+2090 kJ/day [+500 kcal/day] on average over 14 days) and weight gain (+0.9 kg over 14 days vs weight loss of equal magnitude during the 14 days of the unprocessed diet phase).
Why this rating
Based on a small RCT (n=20) but with controlled conditions.
Source
Embracing complexity: making sense of diet, nutrition, obesity and type 2 diabetes
Nita G. Forouhi · Diabetologia · 2023
DOI 10.1007/s00125-023-05873-z
narrative_reviewCited 59×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Achieving type 2 diabetes remission requires significant weight loss (≥15 kg) via major caloric restriction, independent of macronutrient composition.Strong
- Low-carbohydrate diets offer superior short-term glycaemic control (HbA1c reduction) compared to high-carbohydrate diets, but this benefit is not maintained at 12 months.Good
Related findings · Energy balance
- Achieving a total body weight loss of 10-15% (or >10-15 kg) through Total Diet Replacement (TDR) induces remission of Type 2 Diabetes in individuals with short-duration disease.Strong
- Bariatric surgery is superior to medical management alone for inducing significant long-term weight loss, remission of type 2 diabetes, and reduction in mortality for patients with BMI ≥ 40 or ≥ 35 with comorbidities.Strong
- Bariatric surgery (specifically Sleeve Gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass) is an effective treatment for severe obesity and can lead to remission of Type 2 Diabetes, particularly in patients with a short disease duration.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →