30 Days on Ultra-Processed Foods And The Results are Shocking

Dr Chris van Tulleken who is known for his nutrition-related experiments, decided that 80% of the foods he eats in a month will be ultra-processed foods to see what would happen to his body. This was part of the 2021 BBC documentary “What Are We Feeding Our Kids?”

The experiment

Typically, Dr. van Tulleken’s diet consists of 20% ultra-processed foods.  But he upped this number to 80% to reflect one in five of the global population. His health was monitored by one of the UK’s leading obesity experts.

During the experiment he ate fried chicken, lasagna, frozen pizza, baked chips and fast food. Despite eating very often throughout the day, he was still feeling hungry all the time.

He also experienced digestive issues, including 48 hours of not being able to pass stools.

Related: Stop Eating Junk Food : Scientists Have Found Out How to Stop Binge Eating

The results

After 30 Days Dr van Tulleken noticed that he gained about 12lbs and his BMI went up two points, making him overweight. His body fat went up about 6.5 lbs. He estimated that he would gain over 70 pounds in 6 months if he continued this diet.

Additionally his hunger hormone went up by 30% and his satiety hormone went down. Brain scans showed new connections between the reward center and the parts of the brain that drive automatic, repetitive behavior. His brain was actually telling him to keep eating this food.

Concerns for children

Dr van Tulleken and his colleagues are concerned about children eating ultra-processed food, as their brains are more malleable and more prone to long term effects. While these meals may be tasty, the conclusion was clear: they should be limited and replaced with healthier options.