Julia Bauer, Fernanda Oliveira Ayala, Aline Marcadenti, Rachel Helena Vieira Machado, Ângela Cristina Bersch-Ferreira, Maria Fernanda Souza Moreira, Mileni Vanti Beretta, Ana Maria Pandolfo Feoli, Fernanda Michielin Busnello
Journal: International journal of environmental research and public health 2025;22(8):
PMID: 40869860
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrially manufactured foods that often contain added sugars, unhealthy fats, salt, and artificial ingredients. High consumption of UPFs has been linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, less is known about whether UPF intake affects metabolic health in people with T2DM. This study was conducted to explore whether eating more UPFs is associated with poorer blood sugar control or other metabolic risk factors in individuals with T2DM.
The results showed that UPF consumption (along with processed foods) accounted for approximately 16.4% of total daily energy intake. No significant associations were found between higher UPF consumption and HbA1c, fasting blood sugar, body mass index, or waist circumference. However, intermediate and high consumption levels were associated with higher total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol.
In conclusion, this cross-sectional study found that higher intake of processed + UPF was linked to elevated total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in adults with T2DM, but not with glycaemic control or anthropometric markers. Due to the cross-sectional design, causality cannot be determined. Further longitudinal studies are needed to clarify whether reducing UPF intake can improve lipid profiles and overall metabolic health in this population. Healthcare professionals should continue to emphasise overall dietary quality in diabetes management.
BACKGROUND
Understanding how food processing impacts type 2 diabetes (T2DM) control is essential for disease management. This study aimed to assess the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption, as defined by the NOVA classification, and metabolic parameters in T2DM patients.
METHODS
This was a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from the NUGLIC study, a multicenter randomized clinical trial. Multiple linear and Poisson regressions were used to evaluate associations between quintiles of processed and ultra-processed food consumption and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included fasting glucose, lipid profile, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference.
RESULTS
This study included 326 participants. UPF consumption accounted for approximately 16.4% of total daily energy intake. No significant linear associations were observed between higher consumption of industrialized foods and anthropometric or glycemic markers. However, intermediate and high consumption levels were associated with an increased total cholesterol (Q3: β = 26.6; Q4: β = 26.7) and LDL-cholesterol (Q4: β = 19.8; Q5: β = 17.5).
CONCLUSION
In T2DM patients, a higher intake of processed and ultra-processed foods was linked to elevated cholesterol and LDL levels. These findings highlight potential cardiovascular risks but do not support causality due to the study's cross-sectional design.
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