Ultraprocessed or minimally processed diets following healthy dietary guidelines on weight and cardiometabolic health: a randomized, crossover trial
Authors' conclusion
Findings indicate greater weight loss on MPF than UPF diets
Study context
- Population
- Adults in England with BMI ≥25 to <40 kg m-2 and habitual ultraprocessed food (UPF) intake ≥50% kcal day-150 in ITT sample
- Participants
- 55 adults
- Comparison
- Minimally processed food (MPF) diet vs ultraprocessed food (UPF) diet, both following the UK Eatwell Guide
- Primary endpoint
- Within-participant difference in percent weight change (%WC) between diets
- Follow-up
- Baseline to week 8
Methodological details2 × 2 crossover, controlled feeding, ad libitum diets, 28 randomized to MPF then UPF, 27 to UPF then MPF
- 2 × 2 crossover
- Controlled feeding
- Ad libitum diets
- 28 randomized to MPF then UPF, 27 to UPF then MPF
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Percent weight change (%WC)
MPF
−2.06
95% CI −2.99–-1.13 · %
UPF
−1.05
95% CI −1.98–-0.13 · %
MPF vs UPFΔ%WC, % (95% CI)P value
Greater weight loss with MPF
−1.01(−1.87 to −0.14)
P = 0.024MPF vs UPFCohen's d (95% CI)
Percent weight change (%WC)
−0.48(−0.91 to −0.06)
Original publication
Ultraprocessed or minimally processed diets following healthy dietary guidelines on weight and cardiometabolic health: a randomized, crossover trial. Nat Med. Published 4 August 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →