When looking at all teenage girls together without considering where they were in their menstrual cycle, eating more processed foods didn't consistently change how dense their breast tissue looked on scans.

Scientific Claim

No consistent association was found between ultra-processed food consumption during adolescence and breast density measurements when analyzing the entire study population without considering menstrual cycle phase.

Original Statement

“No consistent associations were observed between UPF intake and %FGV and AFGV. [...] We found no association between quartiles of UPF intake (as a percentage of calories) and log-transformed %FGV in either the crude or adjusted models. Similarly, no associations were found between log-transformed %FGV and Q2, Q3, or Q4 of UPF intake (as a percentage of grams) compared with Q1.”

From study:Consumption of ultraprocessed foods and breast density in adolescence

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

The claim correctly states 'no consistent association' which accurately reflects the observational study's findings. The language appropriately avoids causal language and specifies the context of the finding.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Consumption of ultraprocessed foods and breast density in adolescence

Cohort Study

Human

2025 Nov 10

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Consumption of ultraprocessed foods and breast density in adolescence

Score: 58

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-23030-x

Similar Assertions

When teenage girls eat more processed foods, their breast tissue might look denser on scans only during the first half of their menstrual cycle, but this doesn't happen all the time or during other parts of the cycle.

89%

When looking at how much of the total calories came from processed foods (instead of how many grams), there was no consistent link to breast density at any point in the menstrual cycle.

86%

When looking at how much of the total calories came from processed foods (instead of how many grams), there was no consistent link to breast density at any point in the menstrual cycle.

84%

Whether eating processed foods affects breast density seems to depend on what part of the menstrual cycle a girl is in - it only shows an effect during the first half of the cycle, not the second half.

82%

The effect of processed foods on breast density during the first half of the menstrual cycle only happened at medium levels of consumption, not at the highest levels.

79%