Why junk food makes you gain weight
The role of ultra-processed food in obesity
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Ultra-processed foods are made in factories to taste super good and are soft and sugary, so you eat more without feeling full.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
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Evidence Score
Based on clinical experience or non-systematic literature reviews. The lowest level of evidence as they are most susceptible to bias and personal perspective.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Ultra-processed foods are made in factories to taste super good and are soft and sugary, so you eat more without feeling full.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 51 / 5
Evidence Score
Based on clinical experience or non-systematic literature reviews. The lowest level of evidence as they are most susceptible to bias and personal perspective.
Publication
Authors
Juul F, Martinez-Steele E, Parekh N, Monteiro CA
Related Content
Claims (5)
People who eat a lot of highly processed foods like chips, sugary snacks, and frozen meals tend to eat more calories and gain more weight than those who eat whole foods, even when they’re not trying to.
Eating a lot of processed foods may change the good bacteria in your gut in ways that make it harder for your body to manage weight and blood sugar.
Processed foods often contain artificial sweeteners, chemicals to make them smooth, and toxins from packaging, which might interfere with how your body regulates hunger and fat storage.
Foods like cookies, chips, and sugary cereals are designed to be eaten quickly and taste super good, so people eat more before feeling full than they do with whole foods like fruits or beans.
As countries have shifted from eating whole foods to eating packaged, processed foods, their rates of obesity have gone up at the same time — a pattern seen around the world.