Avoiding ultra-processed foods (UPFs), even those marketed as healthy, can significantly boost weight loss and appetite control, reveals a major new study published in Nature Medicine.
Conducted in the UK, this is the most extensive and long-term clinical trial to date examining the effects of food processing on body weight. The findings showed that individuals who eliminated UPFs — such as protein bars, wholegrain cereals, and flavored yogurts — lost more body fat and experienced better appetite regulation than those consuming them, despite similar nutritional profiles.
These UPFs, even when compliant with dietary guidelines like the UK’s Eatwell Guide, were found to be less effective than minimally processed foods in promoting fat loss.
Dr. Arun Gupta, paediatrician and convenor of the Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi), emphasized that the research strengthens calls for strong front-of-pack warning labels on high fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) foods. “The study shows UPFs are not only nutritionally inferior but can be biologically addictive,” he said.
He criticized India’s regulatory bodies, urging the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to take urgent action. Current Indian laws lack specific labeling rules or advertising restrictions for UPFs, unlike the UK’s traffic-light labeling system and advertising curbs.
India’s UPF market has surged 53 times in recent years, coinciding with a sharp rise in obesity. Experts warn that trade agreements with the UK could increase cheap imports of HFSS products, worsening public health outcomes.