WHAT you eat for breakfast could influence your thigh size, scientists say.
Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day – skipping it can be linked to increased risk of health issues like heart disease and diabetes.
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But opting for cereal first thing may cause more thigh fat storage, regardless of how many calories you consume throughout the day.
That’s because many breakfast cereals are ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
This means they’ve been highly altered from their original state and contain ingredients you wouldn’t normally find in home cooking – such as chemicals, colourings, or sweeteners.
Researchers also linked other UPFs to higher fat storage in the thighs, such as ready meals.
Their study found that diets high in these foods also impacted muscle quality, regardless of how much exercise someone did.
And higher amounts of fat in the thigh muscle could increase the risk of knee osteoarthritis.
This is a condition that causes joints to become painful and stiff, making it difficult to run, climb stairs or kneel.
Study author Zehra Akkaya, researcher and former Fulbright Scholar in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, said: “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.
“This is the first imaging study looking into the relationship between MRI-based skeletal muscle quality and quality of diet.”
UPFs, which includes things like frozen pizzas, fizzy drinks and margarine, usually have longer shelf lives and are convenient to grab as a snack or a quick meal.
As well as containing extra ingedients like additives and emulsifiers, UPFs also tend to contain a high sugar, fat, salt and carbohydrates, which makes them especially tasty.
These ingredients affect the brain’s reward system, making it hard to stop eating.
In the new study, presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, researchers set out to assess how UPF intake can affect storage of fat in the thigh muscle.
They analysed data from 666 people who took part in the Osteoarthritis Initiative in the US, a nationwide research study that helps researchers better understand how to prevent and treat knee osteoarthritis.
On average, participants were overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 27.
How ultra processed is YOUR kitchen?
Ultra processed foods (UPFs) were defined by Brazilian researchers who made the NOVA classification system. It breaks foods into groups depending on how processed they are. The most natural foods are in group 1, while the most processed are in group 4.
The groups do not entirely indicate how healthy a food is. However, it does indicate how processed it is – and studies have linked UPFs to a number of diseases.
How does your kitchen compare to the following groups?
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods (group 1)
- vegetables and fruits (fresh or frozen)
- dried fruits with no added sugar, honey, or oil
- grains and legumes (chickpeas, lentils)
- meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs
- milk without added sugar
- plain yogurt with no added sugar
- nuts and seeds
- spices and herbs
- tea, coffee, water
Processed culinary ingredients (group 2)
- iodized salt
- salted butter
- sugar and molasses from cane or beet
- honey extracted from combs
- syrup from maple trees
- vegetable oils crushed from olives or seeds
- butter and lard from milk and pork
- starches extracted from corn and other plants
- vegetable oils with added anti-oxidants
- vinegar with added preservatives
Processed foods (group 3)
- canned vegetables, fruits, and legumes
- fruits in syrup
- salted or sugared nuts and seeds
- salted cured or smoked meats
- canned fish
- artisanal breads and cheese
Ultra-processed foods (group 4)
- pop and fruit drinks
- sweetened yogurt
- sweet or savoury packaged snacks (e.g., cookies)
- candies and cake mixes
- mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads
- breakfast cereals
- cereal and energy bars
- energy drinks
- instant soups, sauces, and noodles
- poultry and fish nuggets, hot dogs
- many ready-to-heat products: pre-prepared pies, pasta, and pizza dishes
Approximately 40 per cent of the foods they had eaten in the past year were ultra-processed.
The study found that the more UPFs people consumed, the more fat they had in their thigh muscles, regardless of how many calories they ate.
Dr Akkaya said: “In an adult population at risk for but without knee or hip osteoarthritis, consuming ultra-processed foods is linked to increased fat within the thigh muscles.
“These findings held true regardless of dietary energy content, BMI, sociodemographic factors or physical activity levels.
“Targeting modifiable lifestyle factors, mainly prevention of obesity via a healthy, balanced diet and adequate exercise, has been the mainstay of initial management for knee osteoarthritis.”
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis in the UK.
It causes the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones to break down, causing pain, swelling and problems moving the joint.
You’re more at risk of developing osteoarthritis in your joints after an injury, if you’re older and have a family history of the condition.
Being obesity is a risk factor too, as excess weight can strain the joints that bear it, particularly your knees and hips.
You’re also more likely to get osteoarthritis if you’re a woman.
Dr Akkaya said: “Osteoarthritis is an increasingly prevalent and costly global health issue.
“It is the largest contributor to non-cancer related health care costs in the US 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.”
Symptoms of osteoarthritis
The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are joint pain and stiffness, and problems moving the joint.
Some people also have symptoms such as:
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Grating or crackling sound when moving the affected joints
The severity of symptoms varies from person to person.
For some people, the symptoms can be mild and may come and go.
Other people can experience more continuous and severe problems, which make it difficult to carry out everyday activities.
Almost any joint can be affected by osteoarthritis, but the condition most often causes problems in the knees, hips and small joints of the hands.
You should see your GP if you have persistent symptoms of osteoarthritis so they can confirm the diagnosis and prescribe any necessary treatment.
A GP may suspect osteoarthritis if:
- You’re aged 45 or older
- You have joint pain that gets worse the more you use your joints
- The stiffness in your joints is not there in the mornings, or lasts less than 30 minutes
If your symptoms are slightly different, this may indicate another joint condition.
For example, prolonged joint stiffness in the morning can be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis.
Source: NHS
