Is obesity the missing link? Ultra-processed foods and metabolic and reproductive outcomes: a narrative review

Ultra-processed food (UPF) has been extensively linked to obesity, diabetes, hypertension, metabolic disease, and cancer. It also contributes to the development of inflammation, oxidative stress, and other disease pathways, with obesity being a major concern. In this review, we offer insights into the role of UPF consumption on nutritional behavior, diet quality, and health. We also raise the questions of whether UPF promotes obesity that subsequently mediates the development of infertility, metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and hypertension, and whether UPF independently drives these conditions through obesity-independent pathways. Understanding the impact of UPF on diet quality and health can guide strategies to reduce its consumption and address related public health and sustainability challenges.