A Keck School of Medicine study published in JAMA Network Open monitored 46 healthy-weight children ages 7 to 10 to evaluate how diet affects neural processing. Brain scans demonstrated that those eating more ultra-processed items experienced elevated activity in the dorsal striatum when shown pictures of junk food. Over the course of a year, this specific neurological activity translated into greater gains in BMI and waist size. The discovery offers critical biological evidence of how processed products compromise youth health during crucial developmental stages.
Key points
Heightened neural sensitivity in the brain reward center clarifies the biological mechani…: Heightened neural sensitivity in the brain reward center clarifies the biological mechanisms driving childhood obesity.
Packaged goods such as breakfast cereals and instant soups account for roughly 67 percent…: Packaged goods such as breakfast cereals and instant soups account for roughly 67 percent of pediatric calories in America.
Early childhood represents a vital window for brain development and habit formation to pr…: Early childhood represents a vital window for brain development and habit formation to prevent conditions like type 2 diabetes.
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- Date:
- November 3, 2026
- Source:
- Keck School of Medicine of USC
- Summary:
- A new study suggests that ultra-processed foods may influence children's developing brains in ways that encourage weight gain. Researchers from USC studied 46 children ages 7 to 10 and found that those who ate more ultra-processed foods showed stronger activity in the brain's reward system when viewing tempting foods like cookies and French fries. These heightened brain responses were linked to greater increases in body fat and body mass index (BMI) one year later, suggesting that the brain's sensitivity to food cues may help explain why ultra-processed diets are associated with obesity.
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Children who consume more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may have stronger brain responses to tempting foods, potentially helping explain why these products are associated with weight gain. A new study published in JAMA Network Open found that children who ate more of these foods showed heightened activity in the brain's reward system when looking at pictures of appetizing foods. Those stronger responses were also associated with increases in body…
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