Using simple blood and urine samples, researchers have developed a new method to detect how much ultra processed food (UPF) someone consumes. This innovative approach, led by scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), may soon offer a more accurate way to assess dietary habits and their connection to long-term health.
Traditionally, nutritional studies rely on self-reported data — individuals recalling what they’ve eaten over a certain period. Unfortunately, these surveys often contain errors due to forgetfulness or inaccurate recording. To address this, the NIH team turned to biological indicators.
Using data from over 700 older adults who submitted both dietary logs and biological samples over a year, researchers employed machine learning techniques to identify metabolic markers — byproducts of digestion and cellular activity — linked to UPF consumption. They created a scoring system based on these metabolites to estimate an individual’s intake of such foods.
Dr. Erikka Loftfield of the National Cancer Institute explained that their research identified hundreds of molecules in blood and urine that aligned with the percentage of calories consumed from ultra processed foods. These products include items like sugary drinks, packaged snacks, frozen meals, and processed cereals — commonly high in calories but low in nutrients.
The method was further tested in a controlled study involving 20 participants. Over the course of a month, these individuals alternated between diets rich in ultra processed items and those completely free of them. Throughout the trial, their biological samples were monitored to see how the metabolite scores varied. Results showed a strong correlation between these scores and dietary patterns, confirming that the biomarkers could effectively track UPF intake.
These findings, published in PLOS Medicine, mark a potential turning point in dietary research. Objective tools like these could replace or at least supplement traditional surveys, reducing the margin of error in food studies. More importantly, they may help clarify the links between UPFs and conditions such as obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Loftfield noted that many of the identified metabolites were tied to complex biological pathways, hinting at the far-reaching effects of food choices on our health. However, she also cautioned that more research is needed. Since the current studies mostly involved older adults, it’s important to evaluate how well this method works across diverse age groups and dietary patterns.
Experts outside the study, like Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian from Tufts University, praised the work as a major advancement. He highlighted the potential for such biomarker tools to uncover how different types of processed foods affect the body.
In the meantime, Loftfield offered a practical tip: read food labels carefully. Limiting items high in added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium — common features of UPFs — aligns with broader nutritional guidelines and may benefit overall health.
As scientists continue to refine this biomarker-based approach, it may soon become a valuable tool for both researchers and individuals seeking to better understand and improve their dietary habits.
