Currently browsing posts about: Sponsored-research

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are a big issue in nutritiion these days, because we eat so much of them, observational studies link them to poor health, and controlled clinical trials show they cause people to eat more calories from them than from minimally processed foods.

The implication of current evidence is clear: avoid eating a lot of ultra-processed foods.

These, unfortunately, are among the most convenient, least expensive, and most profitable foods in supermarkets.

Consequently, they have triggered enormous pushback from:

• Big Food companies, which want you to eat more of their ultra-processed foods, not less
• Some nutrition scientists, who don’t like the idea of excluding the small number of ultra-processed foods that have better-than-average nutritional value
• Smaller “healthy” food companies making products that meet the definition of ultra-processed (industrially produced, full of additives, etc)

Phil Baker, an Australian scientist who is the lead author on a paper in a forthcoming Lancet series on ultra-processed foods (I’m a minor co-author on a couple of them), sent me this example of critics in the smaller “healthy” category.

The critics wrote in The Conversation: Ultra-processed foods might not be the real villain in our diets – here’s what our research found 

Some UPFs do deserve concern. They’re calorie dense, aggressively marketed and often sold in oversized portions. But they’re not a smoking gun.  Labelling entire categories of food as bad based purely on their processing misses the complexity of eating behaviour.

The study:  Food-level predictors of self-reported liking and hedonic overeating: Putting ultra-processed foods in context.  Appetite Volume 213, 1 September 2025, 108029

Conclusion: “This research demonstrates how nutritional characteristics of foods contribute to self-reported liking and hedonic overeating. Considering people’s beliefs about nutrient and sensory attributes can explain more than nutrients alone, and there are negligible additive contributions from CFR [carbohydrate to fat ratio] or UPFs on food reward.”

Funding: “This study was funded by Slimming World, UK, and the School of Psychology, University of Leeds.”

Comment: And what might Slimming World be?   Oh.  It’s a subscription meal plan.

Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan is a flexible, hunger-busting way to eat real food that fits in with every taste, lifestyle, family and budget – so it’s easy to stick to and even easier to enjoy. Based on tasty, healthy foods that everyone will love, Food Optimising helps slimmers cut calories without counting them, and get real results that last.

Of needing to avoid UPFs, Slimming World says

We also feel clear guidance on the difference between what constitutes a UPF and what is a processed food but can be consumed as part of a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet is essential, to avoid misinterpretation and confusion.

This company must make “healthy” UPF meals.  As we know from a recent clinical trial, people still eat more calories from UPFs, even when they are healthy (I will write about that trial as soon as Nature Medicine publishes my accompanying editorial).

In the meantime, I still think it’s a good idea to minimize intake of UPFs and eat minimally processed foods as much as possible.

NutraIngredients-Europe, a newsletter I subscribe to, published this gem: Salmon nose cartilage for younger skin?  Supplementing with salmon nose cartilage could significantly reduce signs of skin aging in the middle aged…. Read more

What’s great about the newsletters in this series is that they provide references.  I went right to this one.

The study: Clinical Trial of Salmon Nasal Cartilage-Derived Proteoglycans on Human Facial Antiaging: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.  J Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025;24(7):e70218.  https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.70218

Background: “Proteoglycans (PGs) derived from salmon nasal cartilage are believed to have antiaging effects on the skin.”

Methods: This was a two-month double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing 20 mg PG to a placebo.

Results: “Subjects receiving PG supplementation showed significant improvements in skin elasticity and hydration…with reductions in skin roughness and wrinkles…and a significant decrease in melanin content and brown spots.”

Conclusion: “Our findings suggest that daily oral intake of 20 mg PG effectively improves skin health by enhancing elasticity, hydration, and reducing signs of aging such as wrinkles and pigmentation.”

Funding: “This study was supported by the Shanghai Huiwen Biotech Corp. Ltd., Shanghai, China.”  As NutraIngredients-Europe helpfully explains, “Founded in 2001 as a spin out of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Huiwen Biotech Co. produces its salmon nose cartilage powder using a water-based enzymatic extraction process.”

Comment: My big question: How do you harvest salmon nose cartilege?  I’m trying to imagine how they do this.  Oh well.

Dietary supplements never fail to fascinate me.  There is so little evidence for their benefits, and what evidence there is almost invariably is paid for by whoever profits from them.  Never mind.  If you are worried about wrinkles, you can give this a try.  It is unlikely to be harmful–the supplement should soon be broken down by enzymes.  Whether they really do anything or not, supplements make takers feel better.  Worth it?  You decide.

Jellyfish supplements are a new one to me.  Here’s study claiming that they improve cognitive function and memory.  If only it were that easy.

The study: Neil E. Wolkodoff, Gerald M. Haase, Joyce A. Curry, (2025), Effects of a Jellyfish Collagen-Based Amino Acid Supplement on Cognitive Function and Memory: A Pilot Investigation, J Clinical Research and Reports, 19(5); DOI:10.31579/2690-1919/532

Purpose: The goal of the current study was to evaluate the effects of oral consumption of an encapsulated powder form of a proprietary jellyfish extract on global cognitive parameters during an eight-week open-label trial in middle-aged and older adults.

Method: The study consisted of supplement consumption twice daily for eight weeks with an at-home, computer-based standard cognitive battery completed at pre-study baseline and at the end of the trial.

Results: EEG total reaction times…decreased by 130 milliseconds and combined trail-making scores demonstrated a reduction of test time by 12 seconds. Both were statistically significant…over half the individuals throughout the study period voluntarily reported positive outcomes, especially related to alertness, energy, focus, and sleep/dream patterns.

Conclusions: This pilot investigation showed that taking a proprietary oral jellyfish collagen supplement may offer meaningful benefits for overall cognitive function and brain activity.  The supplement, derived from marine invertebrate collagen, appears to be a promising way to support brain health in healthy middle-aged and older adults.

Comment: This is one of those studies that immediately raises the question: “Who paid for this?”

The funder: The supporting entity, Certified Nutraceuticals, Inc., had no role in study design or execution, data collection or analysis, or manuscript preparation. CN did provide product and testing support for the study.

To this, I say, that’s what they all say.  Sometime it’s actually true, but mostly it’s not.  Funding influences.  And not always in your best interest.

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Forthcoming November 11, 2025

For More Information and Pre-Orders, click here

A study funded by the Egg Nutrition Center concludes that eating two eggs a day reduces LDL-cholesterol, a risk factor for heart disease.

My NYU colleague, Mitchell Moss, sent me this news release:

Landmark study flips decades of cholesterol panic aimed at eggs:  In a groundbreaking clinical trial, researchers have unraveled the effects of cholesterol and saturated fat, finding that eggs may be far less harmful – and potentially more beneficial – than previously thought. It’s the latest research, using robust scientific work, to recast a nutritional villain in a new light.

My immediate reaction: Who paid for this?

I went right to the study: Impact of dietary cholesterol from eggs and saturated fat on LDL cholesterol levels: a randomized cross-over study, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition  Volume 122, Issue 1, July 2025, Pages 83-91.

Conclusions: Saturated fat, not dietary cholesterol, elevates LDL cholesterol. Compared with consuming a high-saturated fat diet with only 1 egg/wk, consuming 2 eggs daily as part of a low-saturated fat diet lowers LDL concentrations, which may reduce CVD risk.

Funding.  This work was funded by the Egg Nutrition Center, a division of the American Egg Board. This funding source had no role in the design of this study, and no role in the analysis or interpretation of the data or writing of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest. JDB, AMC and AMH report financial support was provided by Egg Nutrition Center. All other authors report no conflicts of interest.

Comment: This seems like old news.  We’ve known for a long time that saturated fat raises blood cholesterol to a greater extent than does dietary cholesterol.  Eggs are the greatest source of cholesterol in U.S. diets.  But even during the fiercest days of pushing to lower dietary cholesterol, one egg a day was always OK.  Egg consumption has declined and the egg industry wants you to eat more of them.  Does eating two eggs a day really reduce heart disease risk?  It would be nice to have independentlyy funded corroborating research.  This, alas, is an industry-funded study conducted by investigators funded by the egg industry.  The claim that the funding source had no role should raise eyebrows.  Research shows that funding exerts influence, whether recognized by investigators or not.

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Forthcoming November 11, 2025: What To Eat Now

A new study says eating saffron will improve your mood.  Guess who funded it.

The Study: Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Marx W, Díez-Municio M, Morán-Valero MI. An Examination into the Effects of a Saffron Extract (Affron) on Mood and General Wellbeing in Adults Experiencing Low Mood: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Nutr. 2025 Jul;155(7):2300-2311. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.05.024. Epub 2025 May 23. PMID: 40414301.

Background: Saffron, derived from the stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower, has been shown in previous trials to have antidepressant effects in clinically diagnosed adults. However, the recruitment of small sample sizes, short treatment periods, and variability in the quality of studies have negatively impacted the strength of conclusions.

Objectives: The purpose of this 2-arm, 12-wk, parallel-group, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was to examine the effects of supplementation with a saffron extract (Affron) on mood and sleep in adults experiencing subclinical depressive symptoms.

Methods: Two hundred and two adults aged 18-70 with depressive symptoms were supplemented with 28 mg saffron daily or a placebo.

Results: Compared to the placebo, saffron was associated with greater improvements in the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scale….However, in the other secondary outcomes, there was no evidence of between-group differences.

Conclusions: This study…provides evidence supporting the beneficial effects of 3 mo of saffron supplementation on depressive symptoms in adults. Large placebo responses were evident in this study, which require consideration in future trials.

Funding: We thank Pharmactive Biotech Products, SLU, for funding the project and supplying the investigational products used for this
study.

Conflict of interest: ALL is the Managing Director of Clinical Research Australia, a contract research organization that receives research funding rom nutraceutical companies… SJS is an employee of Clinical Research Australia. WM has received funding and/or attended events funded by Cobram Estate Pty. Ltd. and Bega Dairy and Drinks Pty. Ltd…MD-M and MIM-V are employees of the study sponsor, Pharmactive
Biotech Products SLU.

Comment:  Let’s hear it for placebo responses!  Saffron is an extremely expensive spice usually used in pinch amounts.  If it’s hard for you to imagine that it could do anything to affect depression, subclinical depression yet, there’s a good reason for that—although saffron makes food taste delicious and that alone is a mood-improver.  But this study was done with a supplement, not the expensive spice.  Overall, this is a study done under contract from the supplement’s manufacturer by employees of the manufacturer.  As such, it is explicitly marketing research.  The interpretation of this study is predictable if you know who funded it.  The title of the study alone should generate the question: Who funded this?

Thanks to Matthew Kadey for this one.

Apparently, no food can exist without research attesting to its healthfulness.  This item comes from Karla Alindahao, senior editor at Food & Wine (for which I have promised to start writing—more on this later in the summer).

She sent me the NBC News account: Eating kimchi every day could help stave off weight gain, new study says:  Cabbage and radish kimchi, a popular fermented vegetable dish, in particular were effective in reducing the risk of obesity and abdominal obesity in both men and women.

As usual, I went right to the study: Jung H, Yun Y-R, Hong SW, et al.  Association between kimchi consumption and obesity based on BMI and abdominal obesity in Korean adults: a cross- sectional analysis of the Health Examinees study. BMJ Open 2024;14:e076650. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2023-076650

Kimchi, fermented vegetables, contains probiotic lactic acid bacteria.

In this survey, higher kimchi consumption was related to a lower prevalence of obesity.

Eating radish kimchi was associated with 8% lower abdominal obesity in men and 11% in women.

As for the funding: “This research was supported by grants from the World Institute of Kimchi (KE2201- 1) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT, Republic of Korea.”

Comment

Somehow, the caveats got lost in the press releases.

Oops: Both lower and higher kimchi consumption were associated with obesity (a ‘J- shaped’ association).

The authors caution:

In conclusion, total kimchi consumption of 1–3 servings/day was shown to be reversely associated with obesity in men…However, since all results showed a ‘J- shaped’ association, excessive consumption suggests the potential for an increase in obesity prevalence. As kimchi is one of the major sources of sodium intake, a moderate amount of kimchi should be recommended for the health benefits of its other components.

The study: Maher, C. , Alcorn M., Childress A., Dawson J. A., and Galyean S.. 2025. “Increasing Vegetable Intake Using Monosodium Glutamate in a Randomized Controlled Trial: A Culinary Medicine Intervention.” Food Science & Nutrition 13, no. 6: e70441. 10.1002/fsn3.70441.

Purpose: “This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of monosodium glutamate (MSG) as a flavor enhancer in increasing vegetable intake compared to sodium chloride (NaCl) alone combined with a digital culinary medicine education program.”

Results: “The 50/50 NaCl/MSG group showed a mean increase in vegetable intake from 1.46 to 1.55 cups/day, while the NaCl group showed a decrease from 1.33 to 0.95 cups/day.”

Conclusion: “Although the differences in vegetable intake were not statistically significant, the findings suggest that MSG could enhance vegetable palatability and intake, aligning with the principles of culinary medicine.”

Conflicts of Interest: “The authors declare a conflict of interest due to Ajinomoto’s involvement in the funding and design of this study. Ajinomoto is a company that manufactures and sells MSG products. Their contribution included financial support and assistance in the study design, which could be perceived as influencing the outcomes of the research.”

Funding: “This study was funded by the American Society for Nutrition and its Foundation, grant number 1195905, and the APC [article processing charge] was funded by Ajinomoto.
Health & Nutrition North America Inc.”

Comment: The idea here is that if you sprinkle MSG rather than salt (NaCl) on your vegetables, they will taste better and you will eat more of them.  The study produced a non-significant result but is given a positive spin (“MSG could enhance…”).  The shocker here is the funding.  The authors say Ajinomoto funded it, but the funding statement mentions the American Society for Nutrition, an organization of nutrition researchers and clinicians to which I belong.  I had no idea ASN was funding research, let alone industry-funded research.  I have long been concerned about ASN’s industry partnerships, which I believe compromise the ability of the organization to issue advice on nutrition.  This is an old issue, but one that it seems time to bring up again.