The Study
Isocaloric Replacement of Ultra-processed Foods was Associated with Greater Weight Loss in the POUNDS Lost Trial
This study didn't prove that ultra-processed foods make you fat, but it showed that when people ate more whole foods instead of processed ones — while eating the same number of calories — they lost a little more weight. It's like swapping candy for apples and noticing you lose a few extra pounds, even if you didn't eat less overall.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Even when people eat the same number of calories, those who eat more whole foods and fewer ultra-processed foods lose more weight and body fat.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 566 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — this means even on the same diet, choosing less processed foods gives you a small but real edge in losing fat, especially around your middle.
- 2People who replaced 10% of junk food calories with whole foods lost 0.51 kg more weight and 2.7% more body fat over 6 months.
- 3Those eating the most whole foods lost 8.33 kg vs.
- 45.32 kg in those eating the least.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
Year
2024
Authors
Qisi Yao, Carolina D de Araujo, Filippa Juul, Catherine M. Champagne, G. A. Bray, Frank M. Sacks, Maya K. Vadiveloo
Related Content
Claims (6)
Among overweight and obese adults eating fewer calories, swapping ultra-processed foods for minimally processed foods results in a 2.7% greater decrease in body fat percentage and a 3.9% greater decrease in trunk fat over six months, even when total calorie intake is held constant.
In overweight and obese adults following a calorie-restricted diet, swapping ultra-processed foods for minimally processed foods did not change waist size over six months, even though trunk fat decreased.
Among overweight and obese adults on a 750-kcal daily calorie deficit, swapping 10% of calories from ultra-processed foods for minimally processed foods and whole ingredients results in an additional 0.51 kg of weight loss, a 2.7% greater drop in body fat percentage, and a 3.9% greater drop in trunk fat over six months.
Overweight and obese adults who ate more minimally processed foods while on a calorie-restricted diet lost 8.33 kg in six months, while those who ate mostly processed foods lost 5.32 kg, showing that less processed diets were linked to greater weight loss.
In overweight and obese adults following a calorie-restricted diet, replacing ultra-processed foods with minimally processed foods is linked to increased fat loss, even when accounting for how strictly the calorie target was followed.
People who avoid ultra-processed foods lose twice as much weight in 8 weeks as people who eat ultra-processed foods.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.