The UPDATE trial - Investigating the effects of ultra-processed versus minimally processed diets following UK dietary guidance on health outcomes with Dr Sam Dicken and Dr Adrian Brown (S4 E6)
Description
Welcome to the Humans of Nutrition Podcast brought to you by Registered Nutritionists Anna Wheeler and Prof Danielle McCarthy.
In this episode, Anna and Danielle speak to Dr Sam Dickenand Dr Adrian Brown about their ground-breaking UPDATE trial, investigating the effects of ultra-processed versus minimally processed diets following UK dietary guidance on health outcomes.
Over and above the insider researcher perspective onultra-processed food (UPF) covering what led to the initiation of this project and key considerations in study design, we were intrigued to hear about the study outcomes – and you might be surprised. Did the study outcomes align with the original hypothesis? (Spoiler- it didn’t!)
Listen in to hear directly from the principal investigator,Sam and trial dietitian and supervisor Adrian:
- Would you expect a study investigating UPF to demonstrate weight loss?
- Would you expect a high UPF diet to meet all dietary requirements?
- How did the UPF diet compare with a minimally processed diet?
- What is it about processing that potentially explains the negative health outcomes that have been seen from observational studies?
- What does this study add to UPF research and understanding?
- How do we bring practicality and reality into the (UPF) conversation?
- What are the next steps in UPF research?
It’s clear that UPF research remains contentious, complexand nuanced. We need to be careful not to throw the UPF baby out with the UPF bath water – if dietary quality can beimproved (at least in population sub-groups) by the considered inclusion of foods classified as UPF, can we accept progress over perfection?
As is often the case in nutrition, a whole systems approachis necessary to improve public health and dietary habits – from complex consumer level decisions, public health policy, right through to food system stakeholder level and the wider food industry.
We look forward to seeing what comes next in terms of UPFresearch, and how we can leverage that to support food industry clients working in this area to improve nutritional quality within all their products.
References and Resources
Dr Kevin Hall et al 2019 paper: Ultra-processed diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain: An inpatient randomized controlled trial of ad libitum food intake - PMC
The Food Foundation – The Broken Plate 2025
National Diet & Nutrition Survey 2019 - 2023
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