Behavioral Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods on Young Adults

A Virginia Tech study found that exposure to ultra-processed diets made 18-21-year-olds consume more calories, even when not hungry.

In a tightly controlled crossover feeding comparison, investigators measured ad libitum energy intake at a buffet after two-week diet periods in 27 participants aged 18–25. The protocol matched nutrient profiles and energy density across conditions in an ultra-processed versus whole-food comparison. Each participant followed one diet high in ultra-processed foods and one with no ultra-processed items for two weeks.

Adolescent participants ate more after a two-week ultra-processed diet than after a matched non-ultra-processed diet — a behavioral pathway that could drive short-term excess energy intake and influence longer-term weight trajectories.