Why eating too many snacks might make your body work harder
Ultra‐Processed Foods and Markers of Systemic Inflammation in Children
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No link found with IL-8, IL-12, or TNF-α—only IL-1β, IL-6 (in older kids), and IL-10.
Most people assume all inflammation markers rise together with junk food. But this study shows the body’s response is selective—only certain signals light up, which suggests UPF doesn’t cause general inflammation, but a very specific immune pattern.
Practical Takeaways
Replace one UPF item per day with a whole-food alternative—e.g., swap sugary cereal for oatmeal with fruit.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No link found with IL-8, IL-12, or TNF-α—only IL-1β, IL-6 (in older kids), and IL-10.
Most people assume all inflammation markers rise together with junk food. But this study shows the body’s response is selective—only certain signals light up, which suggests UPF doesn’t cause general inflammation, but a very specific immune pattern.
Practical Takeaways
Replace one UPF item per day with a whole-food alternative—e.g., swap sugary cereal for oatmeal with fruit.
Publication
Journal
Food Science & Nutrition
Year
2025
Authors
Camila Awad, P. Rubilar, Macarena Hirmas-Adauy, Verónica Iglesias, M. Muñoz, Mauricio A Retamal, Cristóbal Carvajal, P. Dadvand, Camille Lassale
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Claims (6)
Chronic consumption of ultra-processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars drives systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, prompting maladaptive dietary counter-reactions.
Kids who eat a lot of packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and processed meats may have slightly higher levels of a body chemical that signals inflammation, especially if they eat more of these foods.
Older kids (9–10 years old) who eat more packaged and processed foods may have higher levels of a body chemical linked to inflammation, but younger kids don’t show the same pattern.
Eating more processed foods doesn’t seem to change most of the body’s inflammation signals in kids, except maybe for a couple of them.
Kids in this study got about 3 out of every 10 calories from packaged and processed foods, which is a lot and might be bad for their health over time.