Scientific Advances
A new study identifies blood and urine molecules as potential markers for ultraprocessed food intake, offering a more objective measure compared to traditional dietary recalls.
Researchers found that these markers correspond to the energy consumed from ultraprocessed foods, with some showing a link to type 2 diabetes, indicating a significant step in understanding the health impacts of these diets.
Future Implications and Funding
The study, led by Erikka Loftfield and published in , hopes to apply these findings to existing research to explore the effects of ultraprocessed foods on health outcomes like cancer risk.
Despite cuts to government research funding, the study emphasizes the need for further exploration into the biological pathways and health effects of ultraprocessed foods, as highlighted by experts like Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian.