Scientists have identified a link between ultra-processed foods and the accumulation of fat in muscles

American scientists have found that a high intake of ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased fat content in the thigh muscles. This is the conclusion reached by researchers who published a paper in the journal Radiology.

Experts analyzed data from 615 participants of the Osteoarthritis Initiative program — people aged about 60 years who do not suffer from osteoarthritis, but are at risk. Using an MRI scan of the thigh, the scientists assessed the degree of fat infiltration of the muscles on a five-point Gutalier scale. The participants' diets were studied on the basis of a nutrition questionnaire for the previous 12 months using the NOVA classification, which divides products according to the degree of industrial processing.

It turned out that, on average, ultraprocessed foods accounted for 41.4% of the participants' daily diet. The higher their share in the diet, the greater the fat infiltration in all groups of thigh muscles — flexors, extensors and adductors. The dependence persisted after adjusting for age, gender, physical activity level, caloric intake, and body mass index. The most pronounced relationship was recorded when taking into account waist size as an indicator of central obesity.

The authors note that ultra-processed foods are rich in added fats and sugar, but poor in protein and essential nutrients. It is the deficiency of high-quality protein and micronutrients that can disrupt the maintenance of muscle tissue, contributing to the replacement of muscles with fat. No sex differences were found in the revealed pattern — the effect was equally pronounced in both men and women.

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The researchers emphasize that the results obtained are preliminary in nature: the work was transverse, which means that it does not allow to establish a cause-and-effect relationship. The authors urge to verify the findings in large-scale longitudinal studies using quantitative imaging techniques.

Earlier, the same data showed that high consumption of ultraprocessed foods is associated with increased knee pain, thinning of articular cartilage and decreased walking speed in people at risk for osteoarthritis of the knee joint, one of the most common and socially significant diseases of the musculoskeletal system in the world.

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The journal ScienceDaily reported on March 19 that frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods, including chips, sugary drinks and ready meals, is associated with a significant increase in the risk of heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular diseases. The maximum consumption rates increased the risk by 67%.