17 May 2019 --- A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study has become the first to establish causality between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and overeating and weight gain. The findings compared the health outcomes of one group eating an ultra-processed diet, with those following a minimally processed diet – even though meals provided in both diets had the same number of calories and macronutrients. The results were published in Cell Metabolism. The researchers note that while the study reinforces the benefits of unprocessed foods, ultra-processed foods can be difficult to restrict in terms of economic income. Therefore, access to healthy foods for all in the US must be improved.
