Ultra-Processed Food (UPF)
NOVA classification category for industrial formulations made primarily from substances extracted from foods (oils, fats, sugars, starches, proteins) plus additives that have no or rare culinary use, with little to no whole food.
Also: NOVA group 4, UPF
NOVA's four groups (unprocessed/minimally processed, culinary ingredients, processed foods, ultra-processed) center processing rather than nutrient profile. Hall et al.'s 2019 NIH inpatient RCT showed that ad libitum ultra-processed diet led to ~500 kcal/d higher intake and 0.9 kg weight gain over 2 weeks vs minimally processed diet matched for macronutrients. Epidemiology consistently links higher UPF intake to obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and mortality. The mechanistic role of additives, structure, and energy density is being unpacked.
How one textbook covers it
Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 12th ed. — Ch 108: Dietary Patterns
NOVA's four groups (unprocessed/minimally processed, culinary ingredients, processed foods, ultra-processed) center processing rather than nutrient profile. Hall et al.'s 2019 NIH inpatient RCT showed that ad libitum ultra-processed diet led to ~500 kcal/d higher intake and 0.9 kg weight gain over 2 weeks vs minimally processed diet matched for macronutrients. Epidemiology consistently links higher UPF intake to obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and mortality. The mechanistic role of additives, structure, and energy density is being unpacked.
Related terms
Food system, NOVA classification, Obesity