Scientists can detect the consumption of junk food in blood and urine tests
It has been found that blood and urine tests detect the amount of ultraprocessed foods (UPF) that a person eats, according to new research.
Using automatic learning, scientists from the National Health Institutes (NIH) identified hundreds of metabolites (molecules produced during metabolism) that correlated with the processed food intake.
The team developed a “biomarker score” that predicts ultraprocessing food intake based on blood and urine metabolite measurements, according to Erikka Loftfield, Ph.D., MPH, of the National Cancer Institute in Maryland.
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The researchers drawn baseline data of 718 older adults who provided urine and blood samples and reported their dietary habits for a period of 12 months, as detailed in a NIH press release.
Then, they performed a small clinical trial of 20 adults. For two weeks, the group ate a high diet in ultraproked foods, and for another two weeks they ate a diet without UPF.
The scientists of the National Health Institutes have developed the first test to objectively measure the intake of ultraprocessed food through blood and urine. (Istock)
“In our study, we find that hundreds of serum and urine metabolites correlated with the percentage energy of ultraprocessed food intake,” Loftfield told News Digital.
The findings were published in Plos Medicine magazine.
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Large -scale studies investigating the health risks of ultra -procured foods often depend on self -informed dietary questionnaires, which can be prone to errors, according to NIH.
Using automatic learning, the equipment identified hundreds of metabolites that correlated with the intake of processed foods. (Istock)
The new blood and urine test helps reduce human error through the use of objective biomarkers, a growing area of interest among researchers.
Loftfield added: “It was surprising to discover that the metabolites correlated by UPF are involved in numerous and diverse biological pathways, which underlines the complex impact of the diet on the metaboloma.”
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Ultraprocessed foods are defined as “products ready to eat or ready to qualify and industrially manufactured, typically high in calories and low in essential nutrients,” according to the NIH.
Chronic diseases, obesity and various forms of cancer have been related to diets that are heavy in UPF.
Looking to the future
Despite the promising results, the researchers emphasized that the new method will require greater validation before the broader use.
Since the current essay focused mainly on older adults, researchers say more research is needed in several age groups and diets.
Ultraprocessed foods are defined as “products ready to eat or ready to qualify and industrially manufactured, typically high in calories and low in essential nutrients,” according to the NIH. (Istock)
“Metabolite scores should be evaluated and improved in populations with different diets and a wide range of UPF intake,” said Loftfield.
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According to researchers, this method could be used in future investigations to link the consumption of processed foods with chronic diseases.
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“For people concerned about ultraprocessing food intake, a practical recommendation is to use nutritional data labels to avoid foods rich in aggregate sugars, saturated fats and sodium, since this can limit UPF intake and align with a solid scientific research on diet and health,” Loftfield suggested.
Replace is a lifestyle production assistant with News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a variety of stories issues that include food and drink, travel and health.