Biobehavioral Reward Responses Associated With Consumption of Nutritionally Diverse Ultra-Processed Foods
Oregon Research Institute
Summary
The changing food environment, with increasingly abundant ultra-processed food (UPF) options, may directly contribute to rising rates of obesity, though it is unknown which ingredients in UPF elevate their reinforcing nature in a way that may lead to overconsumption. The proposed study is the first to systematically examine differences in the rewarding characteristics of and physiological and metabolic responses to UPFs that are high in fat, refined carbohydrates (like sugar), or both. Understanding the biobehavioral underpinnings that enhance the reinforcing potential of ingredients in UPF (e.g., fat vs. refined carbohydrates) can inform novel intervention targets for the treatment of overeating and obesity.
Description
The abundance of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in our environment has led to excessive calorie intake and been cited as perpetuating the obesity epidemic. UPFs do not exist in nature and are created to maximize palatability through the additions of fat, refined carbohydrates (RC), and/or sodium (e.g., chocolate, potato chips). Emerging research suggests UPFs may be reinforcing akin to rewarding substances like alcohol. However, empirical investigation of which ingredients in UPFs directly motivate overeating is in its nascent stages. This study will be the first to combine biological and behavi…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria Men and women Age 18-65 years BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 Endorse liking the foods included in the compulsory test snacks at a 6 on a scale from 1-10 No history of severe psychiatric illness; current mild to moderate severity of depression, anxiety, or binge eating disorder, determined by the behavioral evaluation and the screening measures will be included Live in the greater Springfield, Oregon area and are willing/able to participate in six in-person assessments Can access and are willing/able to use a smartphone Exclusion Criteria Medical condition that may limit consumption of comp…
Interventions
- OtherIntake of nutritionally diverse ultra-processed foods
All participants will attend four food consumption assessment visits where, at each visit, they will be asked to consume a standardized snack portion of: 1) ultra-processed foods (UPFs) high in both fat and refined carbohydrates (UPF+FRC), 2) UPF high in fat (UPF+F), 3) UPF high in refined carbohydrates (white flour, sugar) (UPF+RC), or 4) minimally processed foods. The order of the four food consumption assessment visits will be randomized and counterbalanced across participants, who will each consume all the test snacks across the four appointments.
Location
- Drexel UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania