Ultra-processed food consumption and excess weight among US adults
Open accessAbstract
Ultra-processed foods provide 58 % of energy intake and 89 % of added sugars in the American diet. Nevertheless, the association between ultra-processed foods and excess weight has not been investigated in a US sample. The present investigation therefore aims to examine the association between ultra-processed foods and excess weight in a nationally representative sample of US adults. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of anthropometric and dietary data from 15 977 adults (20-64 years) participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2014. Dietary data were collected by 24-h recall. Height, weight and waist circumference (WC) were measured. Foods were classified as ultra-processed/non-ultra-processed according to the NOVA classification. Multivariable linear and logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between ultra-processed food consumption (% energy) and BMI, WC and odds of BMI≥25 kg/m2, BMI≥30 kg/m2 and abdominal obesity (men: WC≥102 cm, women: WC≥88 cm). Prevalence of BMI≥25 kg/m2, BMI≥30 kg/m2 and abdominal obesity was 69·2, 36·1 and 53·0 %, respectively. Consuming ≥74·2 v. ≤36·5 % of total energy from ultra-processed foods was associated with 1·61 units higher BMI (95 % CI 1·11, 2·10), 4·07 cm greater WC (95 % CI 2·94, 5·19) and 48, 53 and 62 % higher odds of BMI≥25 kg/m2, BMI≥30 kg/m2 and abdominal obesity, respectively (OR 1·48; 95 % CI 1·25, 1·76; OR 1·53; 95 % CI 1·29, 1·81; OR 1·62; 95 % CI 1·39, 1·89, respectively; P for trend<0·001 for all). A significant interaction between being female and ultra-processed food consumption was found for BMI (F 4,79=4·89, P=0·002), WC (F 4,79=3·71, P=0·008) and BMI≥25 kg/m2 (F 4,79=5·35, P<0·001). As the first study in a US population, our findings support that higher consumption of ultra-processed food is associated with excess weight, and that the association is more pronounced among women.
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Cross-sectional data (NHANES 2005-2014) has shown that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with excess weight and is more pronounced in females.
“Cross-sectional data (NHANES 2005–2014) has shown that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with excess weight and is more pronounced in females [229].”
From Food Addiction and Psychosocial Adversity: Biological Embedding, Contextual Factors, and Public Health Implications (2020) · cites this paper as [229]
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- Authors
- Juul, F., Martinez-Steele, E., Parekh, N., Monteiro, C. A., & Chang, V. W.
- Affiliations
- New York University (US)
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Corresponding author
- Chang, Virginia W.
- Venue
- British Journal Of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2018-05-06
- Volume
- 120
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 90-100
- ISSN
- 0007-1145 (ISSN-L)
- 1475-2662
- OpenAlex
- W2800651690
- Cited by
- 475
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 30 · 2025: 62 · 2024: 50 · 2023: 74 · 2022: 72 · 2021: 85 · 2020: 56 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 10
- FWCI
- 44.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- British Journal Of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Keywords
- ultra-processed foods, overweight, obesity, abdominal obesity, waist circumference, body mass index, NOVA classification, energy intake, sex differences, United States adults, added sugars, obesity prevention policy, dietary guidelines, food marketing regulation
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anthropometry, Body Weight, Energy Intake, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diet, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Nutrition Surveys, Obesity, United States, Body Mass Index, Prevalence, Multivariate Analysis, Overweight, Young Adult, Obesity, Abdominal, Fast Foods
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