Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Poor Muscle Quality Among Adults, Study Finds

The findings were published Tuesday in the journal Radiology and featured a cohort of 615 adults with an average age of 60, more than half of whom were overweight.

Audrey Simons

Published: 4/14/2026, 5:39:32 PM EDT

Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Poor Muscle Quality Among Adults, Study Finds — A photo illustration of 'Ultra Processed' foods in London, England on Feb. 16, 2018. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

A new study has given insight into the connection between diet and overall muscle health, finding that adults who consume high amounts of ultra-processed foods may suffer poorer muscle quality.

The findings were published Tuesday in the journal Radiology and are based on Osteoarthritis Initiative data collected from 2004 to 2015, involving 615 adults who were at risk for knee osteoarthritis, a chronic degenerative disease that causes the breakdown of cartilage in the knee.

The study included 340 women and 275 men, who averaged about 60 years of age, with ultra-processed foods making up about 40 percent of their diets. Nearly 65 percent of the participants had a body mass index ranging between 25 and 30, putting them in the overweight category, while about a quarter were above 30, meaning they were obese.

After undergoing MRI scans, researchers found a correlation between those who consumed higher levels of ultra-processed foods and having more fat stored within the thigh muscles, even after accounting for factors such as body mass index, calorie intake, and physical activity.

While some fat in muscle—known as intramuscular fat—is normal, higher levels have been associated with reduced muscle function, poor mobility, and osteoarthritis.

Ultra-processed foods, such as sugary drinks, ready-to-eat meals, breakfast cereals, and packaged snacks, account for more than half of the total calorie intake in the United States.

The consumption of ultra-processed foods has previously been linked to a range of health issues, including cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart diseases, certain cancers, and in some studies, a higher risk of death.

Lead author Zehra Akkaya, M.D., a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, said the project was the first imaging study to examine the relationship between MRI-based muscle quality and overall diet.

"The novelty of this study is that it investigates the impact of diet quality, specifically the role of ultra-processed foods in relation to intramuscular fat in the thigh muscles assessed by MRI," Akkaya shared in December 2024, when the findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

She added that the findings may have broader implications for those at risk of diet- and lifestyle-related conditions, such as osteoarthritis.

"Osteoarthritis is an increasingly prevalent and costly global health issue," Akkaya said. "It is the largest contributor to non-cancer related health care costs in the U.S. and around the world. Since this condition is highly linked to obesity and unhealthy lifestyle choices, there are potential avenues for lifestyle modification and disease management."