Effects of Processing Level and Nutritional Quality on Energy Intake, Ingestive Behaviors, Palatability, and Satiety in a Young Adult Population.

This randomized crossover trial examined differences in energy intake (EI), ingestive behaviors, palatability, and satiety in meals differing in processing and nutritional quality (NQ). At each visit, participants consumed one of three meals containing similar food items matched for energy, macronutrients, flavor profile, and texture: 1) Non-ultra-processed (UPF), high NQ (NUPF-HNQ), 2) UPF, high NQ (UPF-HNQ), and 3) UPF, low NQ (UPF-LNQ). Participants rated appetite (pre-meal, post-meal, and every half hour) and palatability using visual analog scales. Composite hedonic scores (CHS) were calculated. Repeated measures analysis of variance examined differences in EI, CHS, eating time (ET), eating rate (ER), energy intake rate (EIR), hunger, satiety, and desire to eat (DTE), at p<0.05. Linear regression examined associations between CHS and EI, ET, ER, and EIR, adjusting for meal. Forty healthy young adults (mean age 24.7+5.1 years), predominantly white (67%) females (70%) with a mean BMI 25.3±4.4 kg/m², were included. EI was similar for NUPF-HNQ (585.7±163 kcal) and UPF-HNQ (609.7±151.8 kcal) but significantly lower for UPF-LNQ (503.0±164.1 kcal). CHS was higher for NUPF-HNQ (65.3±22.9 mm) than UPF-LNQ (45.4±20.9 mm). EIR was higher for UPF-HNQ (67.7+23.1 kcal/min) than NUPF-HNQ (54.1±18.4 kcal/min) and UPF-LNQ (50.1±15.1 kcal/min). Hunger and DTE were higher for UPF-LNQ (159.7±94.2 and 168.2±94.9 mm*min) than NUPF-HNQ (98.4±69.9 and M=107.3±70.3 mm*min). CHS was positively associated with EI (p<0.01, R²=0.23) and ET (p=0.02, R²=0.08). EI was lower in a UPF-LNQ compared to non-UPF meals. Palatability ratings were lowest in the UPF-LNQ meal and were associated with EI and ET, potentially explaining results.