Biomarker Scores Pinpoint Diets High in UPFs

TOPLINE:

New poly-metabolite scores worked as objective measures of ultraprocessed food (UPF) intake and could curb reliance on self-report data in studies. 

METHODOLOGY:

• Using ultra–high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, researchers analyzed existing metabolite data from blood and urine specimens provided by 718 individuals aged 50-74 years who participated in various clinical trials.
• They then used machine learning to identify metabolic patterns associated with high UPF consumption to estimate UPF-metabolite correlations and build poly-metabolite scores of UPF uptake.
• They tested the scores in a post hoc analysis of a previously conducted small randomized, controlled crossover trial of 20 adults who ate a diet high in UPF (80% of energy consumed) and a diet without UPF for 2 weeks each in random order.

TAKEAWAY:

• The poly-metabolite scores differentiated, within individual, between the diets that were 80% and 0% energy from UPF.
• The mean UPF intake was 50% energy, and this correlated with serum and 24-hour urine metabolites.
• The findings need to be replicated in other age groups and populations.
• Research on the prospective association between UPF-correlated metabolites, poly-metabolite scores, and disease risk is warranted.

IN PRACTICE:

“Limitations of self-reported diet are well known,” lead investigator Erikka Loftfield, PhD, of the US National Cancer Institute said in an accompanying press release. “Metabolomics provides an exciting opportunity to not only improve our methods for objectively measuring complex exposures like diet and intake of ultraprocessed foods, but also to understand the mechanisms by which diet might be impacting health.”

SOURCE:

The study led by Loftfield was published in PLOS Medicine.

LIMITATIONS:

Study participants were older US adults whose diets may vary from other populations. Poly-metabolite scores should be evaluated and iteratively improved in populations with diverse diets and a wide range of UPF intake.

DISCLOSURES:

The research leading to these results received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Intramural Research Program at the National Cancer Institute and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseased, as well as Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo. Only one coauthor declared having competing interests, as noted in the paper.