Obese adolescents who ate fewer unprocessed foods had higher ghrelin levels and more body fat, while the appetite peptide AgRP independently predicted ultraprocessed food consumption.
AgRP predicted ultraprocessed food intake (β=0.30)The appetite-stimulating peptide AgRP independently predicted higher ultraprocessed food consumption in obese adolescents, regardless of age, body fat, or binge eating
What the researchers found
Lower consumption of unprocessed foods was associated with significantly higher ghrelin concentrations (p=0.023), greater body fat percentage (p=0.047), and reduced lean mass percentage (p=0.047). Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) was a positive predictor of ultraprocessed food consumption (β=0.30, p=0.04), independent of age, body fat, and binge eating symptoms. Six appetite-regulating peptides were measured: ghrelin, leptin, neuropeptide Y, AgRP, melanin-concentrating hormone, and α-MSH.
Why it matters
This study connects the dots between what obese teenagers eat, how their appetite hormones respond, and whether binge eating plays a role. Finding that AgRP independently predicts ultraprocessed food intake suggests a biological drive — not just behavioral preference — behind poor dietary choices in obesity, which could inform both nutritional counseling and potential peptide-targeted interventions.
How the study worked
Cross-sectional study of 96 adolescents with obesity recruited in São Paulo, Brazil (2010–2012). Researchers measured anthropometric data and body composition, assessed binge eating with the Binge Eating Scale, and evaluated dietary intake using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire classified by the Nova food processing system. Blood levels of six neuroendocrine appetite mediators (ghrelin, leptin, NPY, AgRP, MCH, α-MSH) were analyzed.
What this study cannot tell us
The cross-sectional design means causation cannot be established — it's unclear whether altered peptide levels drive food choices or result from them. The sample of 96 adolescents from a single city limits generalizability. Data were collected in 2010–2012, and dietary patterns may have shifted since then. Self-reported food intake is subject to recall bias, and the study did not account for socioeconomic factors that influence food access.
How to read the evidence
This is a cross-sectional observational study with a moderate sample size of 96 participants. While it identifies meaningful associations, the design cannot establish causation, and findings from a single site require replication.
When this study was published
Published in 2025 but based on data collected in São Paulo from 2010–2012. The appetite peptide biology remains relevant, though adolescent dietary patterns may have evolved since data collection.
The bigger picture
Appetite-regulating peptides like ghrelin, leptin, and AgRP are increasingly recognized as key players in the obesity epidemic, particularly among adolescents whose eating patterns are being established. This study adds evidence that ultraprocessed food consumption is not purely a matter of choice or environment — it may be driven in part by neuroendocrine signaling that creates biological pressure to seek calorie-dense, highly palatable foods. Understanding these peptide-behavior links could lead to more effective interventions combining dietary guidance with hormonal modulation.
Questions still open
- Does elevated AgRP actively drive adolescents toward ultraprocessed foods, or does chronic ultraprocessed food consumption elevate AgRP levels?
- Could targeting AgRP or ghrelin signaling help reduce ultraprocessed food cravings in obese adolescents as part of a combined dietary-pharmacological approach?
- Would longitudinal tracking show that changes in these appetite peptide levels precede shifts in dietary patterns during weight gain or loss?
Common questions
What is AgRP and why does it matter for appetite?
Does eating ultraprocessed food change your hunger hormones?
Read the original research
Consumption of Unprocessed and Ultraprocessed Foods in Adolescents with Obesity: Associations with Neuroendocrine Mediators of Appetite Regulation and Binge Eating Symptoms.
Nutrients, 17(23)
Citation
Neres, Patrícia Sousa; Ganen, Aline de Piano; Campos, Raquel Munhoz da Silveira; Carvalho Ferreira, Joana Pereira de; Oyama, Lila Missae; Dâmaso, Ana Raimunda; Masquio, Deborah Cristina Landi. (2025). Consumption of Unprocessed and Ultraprocessed Foods in Adolescents with Obesity: Associations with Neuroendocrine Mediators of Appetite Regulation and Binge Eating Symptoms.. Nutrients, 17(23). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17233711