TOPLINE

In a 16-week behavioral weight-loss program that didn’t specifically target ultraprocessed foods (UPFs), adults with obesity consumed significantly fewer calories, reduced their UPF calorie intake, and lost significant weight. Larger reductions in UPF intake were linked to slightly greater weight loss, independent of changes in total calories.

METHODOLOGY

• Researchers analyzed data from the first 16 weeks of Project STAR, a single-arm behavioral weight-loss program that participants completed before being randomized into the trial’s later maintenance phase. The analysis included 449 adults with obesity (mean age, 49.5 years; 83.5% women) from North Central Florida.
• Even though reducing UPF intake was not the program’s explicit target, discussions included portion control strategies for these foods.
• Dietary intake was assessed using an automated online tool, with participants completing three nonconsecutive 24-hour dietary recalls at baseline and post-intervention.
• Reported foods were classified as UPFs using a standard classification system. UPF intake was determined as the percentage of total daily kilocalories from industrially formulated foods (eg, packaged snacks, sweetened beverages, and ready-to-eat meals).

TAKEAWAY

• Participants lost an average of 7.16 kg over 16 weeks, reflecting a 6.99% reduction from baseline (P < .001).
• The average calorie intake fell by 461 kcal/d from baseline. UPF calorie consumption decreased by an average of 3% (from 53% to 50% of the total intake; P < .001 for both).
• Larger reductions in UPF intake correlated with larger reductions in total calorie intake. Both changes were independently associated with a greater weight loss.
• After accounting for the change in total calories, reductions in the percentage of calories from UPFs remained a significant predictor of weight loss, with a small effect size (beta-coefficient, 0.07; P = .005). Each 10% decrease in UPF intake was linked to a 0.16% greater weight loss.

IN PRACTICE

“Results also demonstrate that a BWLI [behavioral weight-loss intervention] (even with only limited education related to dietary quality and the role of UPFs in satiety) may be able to produce reductions in UPFs (in this study, participants reduced UPF intake by 3%, from 53% at baseline to 50% post-intervention),” the study authors wrote.

“These findings add to the growing evidence of a relationship between UPF intake and weight regulation, but they should be interpreted cautiously given small effect sizes,” they added.

SOURCE

The study was led by Kate E. Worwag, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. It was published online in Obesity.

LIMITATIONS

Dietary intake was self-reported and therefore may have been underestimated. There was no comparison group that did not take the weight-loss program. Most participants were women, so the results may not apply equally to men or more gender-balanced groups.

DISCLOSURES

The study was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. The authors disclosed having no conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.