Reducing ultraprocessed foods may boost healthier aging, study finds

In a small real-world feeding study of adults 65+, reducing ultraprocessed foods to less than 15% of calories—across a meat-based and a vegetarian plan—led to weight loss and meaningful metabolic improvements, including better insulin sensitivity, healthier cholesterol, and lower inflammation, without calorie restriction. While results suggest that cutting ultraprocessed foods can aid healthy aging, the study was small and not designed to prove long-term disease prevention; the findings align with the latest Dietary Guidelines recommending less ultraprocessed food.