Effects of Ultra Processed Food on Intestinal Energy Harvest
Who can join
Ages 25 and older · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * BMI 30-40kg/m2 * weight stable * able to download app and willing to use it for duration of study * does own grocery shopping * otherwise healthy Exclusion Criteria: * pregnancy * history of or planned bariatric surgery * history of anti obesity medications
About the study
Ultra processed food is everywhere in modern society and may contain multiple ingredients that affect the way participants' bodies store energy. Some studies have shown that eating a diet high in ultra processed foods leads to weight gain, but these foods have not been studied enough to understand why. Recently, the gut microbiome has become a potential way to measure energy balance in the human body; this is done by measuring how many calories are in the stool. The investigators propose to test a very high ultra-processed food diet where 80% of calories are coming from ultra processed food and a low ultra processed food diet where 20% of the calories are coming from ultra processed food. This study will compare stool sample energy content of the two diets.
What is being tested
- Diet containing 80% ultra processed foods (behavioral)
- Diet containing 20% ultra processed foods (behavioral)
Sponsor: Columbia University · Participants: 20 · Started: Mar 30, 2025
Contact the study team
- Faris M Zuraikat, PhD · Phone: 212 305 9379
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06853288
Locations in the U.S.
| New York | Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Oct 2, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.