A Meal with Ultra-Processed Foods Leads to a Faster Rate of Intake and to a Lesser Decrease in the Capacity to Eat When Compared to a Similar, Matched Meal Without Ultra-Processed Foods

Abstract

Background/Objectives: It is unknown whether the negative health effects associated with ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are due to their nutritional composition or to the extent of food processing itself. We evaluated the impact of a test meal composed only of UPF, according to the NOVA classification, compared to a similar meal without UPF in adults with obesity. Methods: This is a parallel, randomized trial. Adult individuals with obesity, according to BMI, % body fat, and/or waist circumference were included. Individuals ate one out of two test meals, matched for energy density, macronutrients, sodium, and fiber, differing in NOVA classification, as a breakfast after a 12-h fast. The rate of intake, appetite, satiety hormones, energy expenditure, and autonomic function were measured. Data were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance. Results: Forty-two individuals were included. We found a significantly faster intake rate (07:52 ± 3:00 vs. 11:07 ± 03:16 min), with less chewing and bites, and greater capacity to eat (39.68 ± 22.69 vs. 23.95 ± 18.92 mm) after the UPF meal, without observed differences in the metabolic outcomes. In an exploratory analysis, after adjusting by sex, leptin levels showed a greater decrease after the test meal in the control group. Conclusions: Although we found a faster intake rate in the UPF meal, only marginal effects were found on the participants' capacity to eat after the UPF meal. The high similarity between meals, despite differences according to the NOVA classification, may explain these results. As our study was small, these findings require further investigation.

Keywords: appetite regulation; energy metabolism; food intake; heart rate; hormones; insulin resistance.

Figure 1

Timeline of procedures performed with participants on the day of the clinical trial.

Figure 2

(a) Test meal composed of ultra-processed foods offered to the group of participants allocated to the UPF Meal group on the day of the clinical trial. (b) Test meal without ultra-processed foods offered to the group of participants allocated to the Control Meal group on the day of the clinical trial.

Figure 3

Flowchart of recruitment, randomization, allocation, and analysis of eligible participants for the clinical trial on the effect of meals rich in ultra-processed foods on metabolic parameters in obese individuals.

Figure 4

Graphical representation of the scores of appetitive measures after analysis of variance (ANOVA) (a): hunger; (b): Fullness; (c): Satisfaction; (d): Capacity to eat; (e): Capacity to eat score after logarithmic transformation, before and after meals rich in ultra-processed foods versus meals without ultra-processed foods in individuals with obesity. Data presented as mean and 95%CI. UPF: ultra-processed food.