Washington DC, Aug. 30 -- An international team of scientists has now discovered that people gain more weight on an ultra-processed diet compared to a minimally processed diet, even when they eat the same number of calories.

The study in humans also revealed that a diet high in ultra-processed foods introduces higher levels of pollutants that are known to affect sperm quality. The findings were published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

"Our results prove that ultra-processed foods harm our reproductive and metabolic health, even if they're not eaten in excess. This indicates that it is the processed nature of these foods that makes them harmful," says Jessica Preston, lead author of the study, who carried out the research during her PhD...