People who consume ultra-processed foods have worse muscle health, study suggestsby Radiological Society of North America edited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Robert Egan Researchers found that a diet high in ultra-processed foods is associated with higher amounts of fat stored inside thigh muscles, regardless of calorie or fat intake, physical activity or sociodemographic factors in a population at risk for knee osteoarthritis. Results of the study were published in Radiology. Higher amounts of intramuscular fat in the thigh could potentially increase the risk for knee osteoarthritis. What counts as ultra-processed foodUltra-processed foods usually have longer shelf lives and can be highly appealing and convenient. They contain a combination of sugar, fat, salt and carbohydrates which affect the brain's reward system, making it hard to stop eating. These foods include breakfast cereals, margarines/spreads, packaged snacks, hot dogs, soft drinks and energy drinks, candies and desserts, frozen pizzas, ready-to-eat meals, mass-produced packaged breads and buns, which all include synthesized ingredients. "Over the past decades, in parallel to the rising prevalences of obesity and knee osteoarthritis, the use of natural ingredients in our diets has steadily diminished and been replaced by industrially-processed, artificially flavored, colored and chemically altered food and beverages, which are classified as ultra-processed foods," said the study's lead author, Zehra Akkaya, M.D., researcher and consultant for the Clinical & Translational Musculoskeletal Imaging group at University of California, San Francisco, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging. Dr. Akkaya and the research team set out to assess the relationship of ultra-processed food intake and intramuscular fat in the thigh. How the study was conductedFor the study, researchers analyzed data from 615 individuals who participated in the Osteoarthritis Initiative who were not yet affected by osteoarthritis, based on imaging. The Osteoarthritis Initiative is a nationwide research study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, that helps researchers better understand how to prevent and treat knee osteoarthritis. "Osteoarthritis is an increasingly prevalent and costly global health issue," Dr. Akkaya said. "It constitutes one of the largest non-cancer-related health care costs in the United States and around the world. It is highly linked to obesity and unhealthy lifestyle choices." Of the 615 individuals, (275 men, 340 women) the average age was 60 years. On average, participants were overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 27. Approximately 41% of the foods they consumed over the prior year were ultra-processed. What the MRIs revealed about musclesThe researchers found that the more ultra-processed foods people consumed, the more intramuscular fat they had in their thigh muscles, regardless of caloric intake. On MRI, this can be seen as fatty degeneration of the muscle, where streaks of fat replace muscle fibers. "In addition to investigating the quality of our modern diet in relationship to thigh muscle composition, in this study, we used widely available, non-enhanced MRI, making our approach accessible and practical for routine clinical use and future studies," Dr. Akkaya said. "These MRIs do not require advanced or costly technology, which means they can be easily incorporated into standard diagnostic practices." By exploring how ultra-processed food consumption impacts muscle composition, this study provides valuable insights into dietary influences on muscle health. Why diet quality matters for joints"This research underscores the vital role of nutrition in muscle quality in the context of knee osteoarthritis," Dr. Akkaya said. "Addressing obesity is a primary objective and frontline treatment for knee osteoarthritis, yet the findings from this research emphasize that dietary quality warrants greater attention, and weight loss regimens should take into account diet quality beyond caloric restriction and exercise." Targeting modifiable lifestyle factors—mainly prevention of obesity via a healthy, balanced diet and adequate exercise—has been the mainstay of initial management for knee osteoarthritis. In addition to other health benefits, reducing ultra-processed food consumption may help preserve muscle quality, which in turn could alleviate the burden of knee osteoarthritis. "In recent years, several researchers have shown detrimental impacts of ultra-processed food on various health outcomes but data on the relationship of ultra-processed food and body composition in the context of knee osteoarthritis is limited," Dr. Akkaya said. "This is the first study assessing ultra-processed food's impact on thigh muscle composition using MRI. By exploring how ultra-processed food consumption impacts muscle composition, this study provides valuable insights into dietary influences on muscle health." ARTICLE SOURCE: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-people-consume-ultra-foods-worse.html
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I have read numerous articles and testimonials about the mental clarity that comes from the cleaner diet. My interest has sort of been piqued as of late because I am not sleeping through the day or the night.
The first few months of carnivore I didn't really have tons of energy per se, but it was like just having a steady supply. I was getting more done during the day, at least more than before, and my sleep actually improved. (Lifelong shift worker, rotating 12-hour shifts both days and nights so my sleep patterns are far from normal. I sleep much better during the day than the night and my sleep is 9-3/3:30 day or night.)
I have not had the 'mental clarity' I have read about. The closest thing is that when I wake up, I am up, and there is no going back to sleep. I am not what has changed as of late but my 3 or 3:30 has shifted back to 'before 3' and there is no going back to sleep. Been up for awhile now and this seems to be my new norm.
Yesterday I had what felt like a really good workout between 5AM and 7AM. I carried my mom to an appointment and home by 9:30. Fed animals, hauled a week's worth of garbage to the dump (two houses), put brakes on the back of my buddy's car, pulled my son's dishwasher out to replace a diverter motor, walked their dog for about a mile or so, fed the baby so my daughter-in-law could walk the other dogs, and then pulled the dishwasher again last night to ohm check the motor when he brought the meter home. I ate two chuck steaks and the day sort of caught up with me. I was dog tired after eating and could barely hold my eyes open at 8PM. I made it to just about nine and went to bed. I slept like a rock til 2:30 or so, and here I am.
For the last month or so I have tried everything I can think of to go back to sleep but as I said, when I wake up, I am up, like, my eyes open and my feet hit the floor.
Ready for the day, except it is the middle of the night. LOL
The sleep itself is good, and I wake up rested and feel charged. It is like my clock has shifted and my new bedtime is 8, and sometimes like 7.
Noting has really changed as of late that I can think of that would trigger a change in sleep patterns, especially after having them engrained over the last 35 years.
This is how I end up being one of the weirdos in the gym at 4:30 in the morning. LOL
Scott