Mechanisms of Ultra-Processed Foods and Health Outcomes

Dear Colleagues,

Observational evidence increasingly demonstrates that the intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is associated with poorer human health. However, the number of intervention studies investigating this topic is still small. The most recent experimental evidence points to a higher ad libitum energy intake and lower intake rate (in kcal/minute) of UPF, both being associated with weight gain in individuals subjected to diets rich in these products, in a controlled environment. There is also some evidence that such diets may affect the fasting plasma concentration of hunger hormones. Nevertheless, the exact mechanism of how these products lead to such outcomes still deserves further investigation, and it is also important to investigate which characteristics of these products are responsible for their deleterious effects on human health. Hence, we are proposing this Special Issue. We expect to collate intervention studies that investigate the impact of UPF on several outcomes such as, but not limited to, intestinal microbiota; physical activity and exercise; satiety hormones outside the fasting state; and studies that investigate which aspects of UPF, other than their macronutrient composition, such as their non-beverage energy density, texture/softness, and presence of food additives such as flavor enhancers and emulsifiers, are responsible for their deleterious effects on health.

This Special Issue of Nutrients entitled “Mechanisms of Ultra-Processed Foods and Health Outcomes” welcomes original research and reviews of the literature concerning this important topic.

Prof. Dr. Nassib B. Bueno
Prof. Dr. José Luiz de Brito Alves
Prof. Dr. Ingrid S. V. de Melo
Guest Editors

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