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Sigma Nutrition Radio

#577: Ultra-processed vs. Minimally Processed Diets: UPDATE Trial – Samuel Dicken, PhD

Sigma Nutrition Radio

Danny Lennon

Health & Fitness, Nutrition

4.8 • 633 Ratings

🗓️ 16 September 2025

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Recently a new trial was published in Nature Medicine comparing the effect of ultra-processed versus minimally processed diets. Specifically, the UPDATE trial compared these two diets in the context of a healthy dietary pattern (in line with the UK's EatWell Guide).

This eight-week randomized, crossover trial generated a lot of discussion and was largely seen as being a really useful addition to the evidence base, and providing answers to some previously unexamined questions.

In this episode the study's lead author, Dr. Samuel Dicken, explains the background context for the UPDATE trial, provides an insight into its execution, and puts some of the results in context. There is also a discussion about the current state of evidence more broadly and the leading hypotheses around the mechanisms that drive the observations seen with consuming ultra-processed foods.

This episode is particularly noteworthy because it provides fresh evidence on an important question: does following dietary guidelines with minimally processed foods confer extra benefits over following the same guidelines with ultra-processed foods?

Timestamps

  • [02:48] Interview with Dr. Samuel Dicken
  • [03:08] Background and research interests of Dr. Samuel Dicken
  • [04:31] Details of the update trial
  • [09:48] Trial design and methodology
  • [15:45] Results and findings of the update trial
  • [18:46] Secondary outcomes and craving control
  • [25:43] Hypotheses and mechanisms behind UPF effects
  • [40:28] Policy implications and future research directions

Related Resources

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello and welcome to Sigma Nutrition Radio. My name is Danny Lennon. This is episode 577 of the podcast.

0:07.9

You are very welcome. Today we're going to be talking about a recently published trial that was

0:13.2

published in nature medicine that compared the effect of an ultra-processed diet to a minimally

0:19.3

processed diet. Specifically, this trial called the

0:22.4

update trial, compared both diets in the context of a healthy dietary pattern. So in line with the

0:28.6

UK's Eat Well Guide, so the typical recommendations we would have at a population level for

0:33.7

following a healthy diet. And this randomized crossover trial has generated quite a lot of discussion and has been seen

0:39.9

as a really useful addition to the evidence base with some really important answers to

0:44.5

previously unexamined questions.

0:46.3

There's also been some discussion about some elements of the study and some potential

0:50.6

clarifications about some of the aspects of that.

0:53.6

So on today's episode,

0:55.3

I'm going to be talking with the study's lead author, Dr. Samuel Dickon, who is going to

0:59.3

explain the background context for the update trial, providing some of the insight into its

1:04.5

execution design, as well as putting some of the results into some context. We're also going to

1:10.6

maybe try and discuss how this connects with the current state of evidence, what some of the results into some context. We're also going to maybe try and discuss how this

1:12.1

connects with the current state of evidence, what some of those leading hypotheses are around

1:16.3

potential mechanisms that could explain some of the results we tend to see with this ultra-processed

1:21.8

food category. If you are a Sigma Nutrition premium subscriber, then remember you can get your

1:27.2

detailed study notes that accompany this episode where it'll go through everything related to what is discussed throughout the episode, including charts and diagrams that will hopefully give more context, as well as explanations of some of the most important terminology.

1:40.8

So all of that will be linked up in the description box for you guys or over

1:45.3

on the premium dashboard. For anyone listening on the public feed of the podcast and you're

...

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