Can two diets with identical calories give different outcomes?
In a controlled feeding study, participants ate the same calories and macronutrients — but those on the ultra-processed menu consumed about 500 extra calories per day and gained roughly a kilogram of fat in three weeks. The food itself changed the behavior.
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The short version
- In a controlled feeding study, participants ate identical calories and macronutrients, yet the ultra-processed group consumed about 500 extra calories per day.
- The ultra-processed group gained roughly a kilogram of fat in three weeks even though both diets were matched for calories and macros.
- The finding is that the food itself changed the behaviour, rather than the calorie count deciding the outcome.
- The article's recommendation is to pair medication with nutrition coaching, since the combination outperforms either approach on its own.
