High Consumption of Ultraprocessed Food Increases Risk for Diabetes in Young Adults

THURSDAY, Nov. 20, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption may increase the risk for type 2 diabetes in young adults, according to a study published online Nov. 10 in Nutrition and Metabolism.

Yiping Li, from the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, and colleagues examined associations between UPF consumption and prediabetes and related biomarkers in youth. The analysis included 85 young adults (age 17 to 22 years) with a history of overweight or obesity participating in the Metabolic and Asthma Incidence Research study.

The researchers found that a 10 percentage point increase in UPF consumption between visits (2014 to 2018 and 2020 to 2022) was associated with higher odds of having prediabetes (odds ratio, 1.51) and impaired glucose tolerance (odds ratio, 2.58) at follow-up. There was also a significant positive association between higher baseline UPF consumption and two-hour insulin (β = 45.11) and insulin area under the curve (β = 63.56) at follow-up.

“Our findings show that even modest increases in ultra-processed food intake can disrupt glucose regulation in young adults at risk for obesity,” coauthor Vaia Lida Chatzi, M.D., Ph.D., also from USC, said in a statement. “These results point to diet as a modifiable driver of early metabolic disease, and an urgent target for prevention strategies among young people.”

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