Ultra-processed foods tied to thigh muscle fat on MRI — SkimNews
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- Zehra Akkaya, M.D. led the study at UCSF, analyzing MRI scans of 615 participants (average age 60, average BMI 27) from the NIH-sponsored Osteoarthritis Initiative who showed no initial signs of knee osteoarthritis.
- Researchers found that greater ultra-processed food intake corresponded to more intramuscular fat in the thighs, with the association holding even after adjusting for calorie and fat intake, physical activity, and sociodemographic factors.
- Participants derived roughly 41% of their diet from ultra-processed foods such as packaged snacks, soft drinks, frozen pizzas, and mass-produced breads, based on year-long dietary records.
- MRI scans revealed fatty degeneration of muscle tissue — streaks of fat replacing uniform muscle fibers — using widely available, non-enhanced imaging the researchers say can be easily incorporated into routine clinical practice.
- The study, published in Radiology, is the first to assess ultra-processed food's impact on thigh muscle composition via MRI, and authors argue dietary quality deserves attention beyond weight loss and exercise alone.
- Akkaya noted that knee osteoarthritis constitutes one of the largest non-cancer-related health care costs in the U.S. and globally, and is highly linked to obesity and unhealthy lifestyle choices.
Why it matters: Osteoarthritis is one of the largest non-cancer-related health care cost drivers in the U.S. and worldwide, and this MRI study suggests the damage may begin in muscle composition before joint symptoms appear — meaning diet quality, not just calories or weight, could become a new frontline target for prevention among the 615-person cohort studied.
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