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Ultra-processed food reward: neural and metabolic factors

Award Number: R01DK132389
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES & DIGESTIVE & KIDNEY DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 02/01/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2028

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Ultra-processed food reward: neural and metabolic factors - PROJECT SUMMARY The food environment has changed dramatically and rapidly in the last 50 years. A glance around any grocery store will demonstrate that ultra-processed foods, defined as industrial formulations of sources of energy, nutrients, and additives have come to dominate the food supply. In fact, ultra-processed foods now make up around 58% of total calories consumed in the US. Ultra-processed food consumption has been linked with various forms of cancer, increased cardiovascular disease, and increased all-cause mortality. Therefore, basic understanding of the mechanisms that drive consumption of ultra-processed foods must keep pace with their increasing availability and expanding percentage of the US food supply. The long-term goals of this research are to identify specific properties of ultra-processed foods that support their consumption, the physiological and neurobiological mechanisms they exploit to affect activity in brain reward systems, and the individual factors that drive susceptibility to overconsumption so they can be later targeted for intervention. Our central hypothesis is that ultra-processed foods are enriched in rapidly useable calories, which enhances reward related brain activity to those specific foods (and associated cues and flavors) and renders them more reinforcing. To this end, in Aim 1, we will parametrically vary the speed of nutrient availability and assess brain response to calorie predictive flavors and measure the rewarding properties of those flavors. In Aim 2, by varying the level of processing in foods, while controlling for caloric density and macronutrient profiles, we will directly assess the specific role of food processing on the time course of the metabolic response to consumption and its relation to brain activity and food value. We will use data collected in both aims to create predictive models that will allow us to pinpoint key factors, both within the individual and within the food, that drive food reward. To our knowledge, this proposal is one of the few to assess processing as a key factor, while controlling for other confounding variables such as energy density and macronutrient content. By combining this with an innovative analysis approach we will have a unique opportunity for generating a data driven assessment of key factors in ultra-processed food reward. The data generated in support of this proposal have high potential significance in that they could provide key evidence needed for changing dietary guidelines with the ultimate goal of reducing diet-related mortality and disease.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $465,293 )
2026	2026	VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE & STATE UNIVERSITY	300 TURNER ST NW	BLACKSBURG	VA	24060	MONTGOMERY	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	4	1/8/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$465,293
														Subtotal = $465,293

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $416,245 )
2025	2025	VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE & STATE UNIVERSITY	300 TURNER ST NW	BLACKSBURG	VA	24060	MONTGOMERY	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	3	2/17/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$416,245
														Subtotal = $416,245

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $438,586 )
2024	2024	VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE & STATE UNIVERSITY	300 TURNER ST NW	BLACKSBURG	VA	24060	MONTGOMERY	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	2	1/30/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$411,176
2024	2024	VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE & STATE UNIVERSITY	300 TURNER ST NW	BLACKSBURG	VA	24060	MONTGOMERY	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	001	2	5/15/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$27,410
														Subtotal = $438,586

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $430,231 )
2023	2023	VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE & STATE UNIVERSITY	300 TURNER ST NW	BLACKSBURG	VA	24060	MONTGOMERY	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	1	2/1/2023	NEW	$430,231
														Subtotal = $430,231

Grand Total All Awards = $1,750,355

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Ultra-processed food reward: neural and metabolic factors

Award Number: R01DK132389

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES & DIGESTIVE & KIDNEY DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 02/01/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2028

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