Experts: Consuming unhealthy foods is linked to increased thigh muscle fat and a higher risk of knee osteoarthritis
A new study reveals that a diet rich in ultra-processed foods may be associated with unhealthy changes in thigh muscles among individuals at risk for knee osteoarthritis. This is the first study to assess the impact of ultra-processed foods on thigh muscle composition using magnetic resonance imaging, offering valuable insights into how diet affects muscle health.
As the use of natural ingredients in diets has gradually declined, they have been replaced by industrially manufactured foods and beverages that are flavored, colored, and chemically modified—categorized as ultra-processed (unhealthy) foods. These products are typically designed to be convenient, appealing, and long-lasting, often combining sugar, fat, salt, and carbohydrates in ways that stimulate the brain’s reward system, making them difficult to stop consuming. Examples include breakfast cereals, margarine, packaged snacks, sausages, carbonated and energy drinks, confectionery, frozen pizza, ready-to-eat meals, and mass-produced bread and cakes. These products usually contain chemically processed ingredients.
According to a report published by Science Daily, researchers found that participants who consumed larger amounts of these foods had higher levels of intramuscular fat in their thigh muscles, even after adjusting for caloric intake, dietary fat percentage, physical activity, and sociodemographic factors.
The findings were published in Radiology, the journal of the American Roentgen Ray Society (American Radiological Society), which noted that elevated levels of intramuscular fat in thigh muscles may contribute to an increased risk of knee osteoarthritis.
Researchers identified a clear association between ultra-processed food consumption and the accumulation of fat within thigh muscles: the greater the intake of these foods, the higher the observed intramuscular fat content, regardless of total caloric consumption.
These results add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that dietary quality can influence body composition in ways not captured by body weight or calorie counts alone.
This research underscores the vital role of nutrition in muscle quality in the context of knee osteoarthritis. While addressing obesity remains a primary goal and first-line treatment for knee osteoarthritis, the findings highlight that dietary quality deserves greater attention. Weight-loss programs should therefore consider food quality alongside caloric restriction and exercise.
Source: Science Daily
