The research, recently published in Nature,¹ found that people who consumed more UPFs showed measurable differences in brain areas involved in feeding behavior, emotion, and motivation. Higher UPF intake was linked to increased thickness in the bilateral lateral occipital cortex—a brain region crucial for visual object recognition and processing shapes. This finding suggests changes in how the brain processes visual food cues. “Our findings indicate that a high consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with structural changes in brain regions regulating eating behaviour, such as the hypothalamus, amygdala and right nucleus accumbens. This may lead to a cycle of overeating” Arsène Kanyamibwa,the study’s first author and doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, said in a press statement.²

The study also uncovered a potential biological mechanism behind these brain changes. Researchers found that increased UPF intake was associated with higher levels of systemic inflammation and risky metabolic markers in the blood, including C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of inflammation; triglycerides; and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). High levels of CRP, triglycerides, and HbA1c are often considered concerning indicators of potential health issues.

The researchers noted that UPFs, which contain chemically modified ingredients and additives like emulsifiers, might change the brain through pathways independent of obesity. Emulsifiers may affect the brain by disrupting neurotransmitters, causing neuroinflammation, and altering gut microbiota.³

The researchers note that their findings, in addition to previous studies, suggest it’s time for regulatory action. One of these studies, involving more than 114,000 American adults and published last year in The BMJ, found UPF consumption—specifically processed meats, sugary breakfast foods, and sugar or artificially sweetened beverages—was linked to a 4 percent higher risk of all-cause mortality and an 8 percent higher risk of death from neurodegenerative diseases.⁴

1. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44324-025-00056-3 ↩︎
2. https://www.helsinki.fi/en/news/obesity/ultra-processed-foods-may-affect-brain-and-lead-overeating#:~:text=%E2%80%9COur%20findings%20indicate%20that%20a,to%20a%20cycle%20of%20overeating. ↩︎
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889159124003337#:~:text=Emulsifier%20Polysorbate%2080%20induced%20cognitive,the%20senescence%2Dassociated%20secretory%20phenotype. ↩︎
4. https://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj-2023-078476 ↩︎