Humans are not suited to industrial, ultra-processed food. That is the main conclusion of a clinical trial published on Thursday, August 28, by an international research team in the American journal Cell Metabolism. Led by biologist Romain Barrès, who is a researcher at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology of Sophia Antipolis, the study confirmed many recent epidemiological observations. Most importantly, the study provided substantial evidence that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are detrimental, regardless of calorie intake. According to this research, which was unprecedented in its meticulous methodology, UPFs appear to have a profound impact on many biological processes, including rapid and significant weight gain, deteriorated cardiometabolic health (heart and metabolic functions), disrupted hormonal balance, and impaired male fertility.

"The consumption of ultra-processed foods has markedly increased globally, now accounting for over 50% of total energy intake in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and the USA," wrote the researchers. Data from the Nutrinet epidemiological cohort showed that approximately 35% of the French population's average caloric intake comes from UPFs, which make up around 80% of the processed food products available in large retail chains.

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