US EditionMarkers in Blood and Urine May Reveal How Much Ultraprocessed Food We Are Eating
- A researcher from the National Cancer Institute led a study published on May 20, 2025, in PLOS Medicine that identified biological markers associated with ultraprocessed food consumption among U.S. Adults.
- The study was motivated by challenges in measuring ultraprocessed food intake, which accounts for a large portion of dietary energy consumed in the United States and is associated with multiple health issues.
- In the study, data from more than 700 older AARP members—including biological samples and dietary records collected over a year—were used to develop a score based on metabolites that predicts consumption of ultraprocessed foods such as sugary cereals and sodas.
- Loftfield explained that the study identified a unique biological marker indicative of a diet predominantly consisting of ultraprocessed foods, rather than just isolated food items, marking a significant advancement in this area of research.
- The findings provide a way to objectively quantify ultraprocessed food consumption and may enhance understanding of its health effects, as Loftfield intends to use this method with current research datasets that include blood and urine samples to investigate links to cancer risk.
62 Articles
62 Articles
Markers in Blood and Urine May Reveal How Much Ultraprocessed Food We Are Eating
Molecules in blood and urine may reveal how much energy a person consumes from ultraprocessed foods, a key step to understanding the impact of the products that make up nearly 60% of the American diet, a new study finds.
Markers in blood and urine may reveal how much ultra-processed food we are eating
Molecules in blood and urine may reveal how much energy a person consumes from ultraprocessed foods, a key step to understanding the impact of the products that make up nearly 60% of the American diet, a new study finds. It’s the first time that scientists have identified biological markers that can indicate higher or lower intake of the foods, which are linked to a host of health problems, said Erikka Loftfield, a National Cancer Institute rese…
Medical Xpress
Molecules in blood and urine could reveal how much ultra-processed food you eat
Sets of metabolites found in blood and urine reliably correspond with how much energy from ultra-processed food a person consumes, according to a study published in PLOS Medicine by Erikka Loftfield of the National Cancer Institute, U.S., and colleagues.
Ultra-Processed Foods Are a Trojan Horse for Plastic Contamination, New Research Finds
Ultra-processed foods have long been associated with obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. But a series of new peer-reviewed papers published in the May issue of Brain Medicine adds a more insidious threat to the list; these foods are also a significant source of microplastic exposure. And those plastics, scientists warn, may be building up in human brains. The research Four interrelated studies featured in the journal synthesize years …
How much ultra-processed food do you eat? Blood and urine record it
Samples could provide an objective measure of diets and help to unravel their contribution to disease. Samples could provide an objective measure of diets and help to unravel their contribution to disease.
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