FIf you thought limiting UPF consumption by kids and younger folks in general was important for a longer, healthier life… You can now add older folks to that list. New science reveals cutting UPFs boosts seniors’ metabolic health…
It’s easy. It’s relatively inexpensive. And it shows quick, positive results. And all you have to do is follow US Government official dietary guidelines. But there’s a catch… You have to keep doing it!
That mammoth global study
Faithful readers will remember that massive, global study on UPFs that Lancet ran in three parts. Well, it’s still yielding new insights to those who take the effort to read closer and put two an two together
The gist of it…
The researchers condemned UPFs in polite but strong language, Food & Wine reports: “As a group of researchers who published a trio of papers in The Lancet in 2025 explained, ultra-processed foods are, ‘branded, commercial formulations made from cheap ingredients extracted or derived from whole foods and combined with additives’. They added that, ‘Most contain little to no whole food, and are designed to compete with the other three Nova groups […] and maximize industry profits’.”
But now, here’s news that, hidden deep in the marathon study report, there’s proof that limiting UPF consumption by seniors can dramatically improve their gut health and all the aspects of their lives that are associated with it. The key is, junk foods can seriously increase systemic inflammation in seniors – more so than in younger, healthier adults.
What they did
A team from South Dakota State University designed test meals prepared by a professional chef to reflect ‘real-world eating’ patterns. The trial reduced ultra-processed foods from about half of par-ticipants’ daily calorie intake (since ultra-processed foods currently make up about 70 percent of the U.S. food supply) to roughly 15 percent. Participants first followed meat-based (lean pork) diet for 8 weeks, took a 20week break and then went on to a plant-based (lentils) diet for another 8 weeks.
What they found
The SDSU researchers took their cue from the Lancet study and looked spe-cifically at the effects of UPFs on older adults (56 and older).
Moul Dey, professor of health and nutritional sciences, said in a statement about the study’s find-ings. “The degree of processing changes how the body handles those same nutrients. Diet quality depends not only on nutrients but also on the ingredients and the level of processing, considered together.”
But there’s still more good news: The team discovered, almost by accident, that seniors who adhered to a diet following official government guidelines also spontaneously consumed fewer calories. And that, in turn contributed to the overall health-enhancing effects of such a regime.
My take
Makes sense to me. On reflection, I would expect the more-vulnerable members of society – seniors as well as kids – to realize similar benefits from a better, lower-UPF, lower calorie diet.
The only drawback I can see to implementing such a diet on a wide basis is that the officially recom-mended diet may cost more than a UPF-rich diet. The recommended diet includes clean protein and lots of fresh fruits and veggie. However, older folks – many of them are on fixed inxomes and already finding it touch to make ends meet every month – may find it tough to afford such a healthy diet.
Here’s another specific role governments must step into: making sure seniors can afford healthy diets. Our collective population is aging. The savings in health care costs could pay for the program… And that would benefit us all!
~ Maggie J.