Is it the processing or the nutrients? new study aims to settle the debate.
NCT ID NCT06749327
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study will test whether the way food is processed affects health, even when the diet is equally healthy. 330 adults will eat either a high or low ultra-processed plant-based diet for 4 months. Researchers will measure changes in blood sugar and cholesterol to see if processing alone makes a difference.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- dietary intervention (high vs low ultra-processed foods, both healthy plant-based)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could clarify whether the processing of food—not just its nutritional content—matters for heart health and blood sugar.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage dietary study with no disease treatment. Results may not apply to the general population, and diet adherence can be challenging.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 330 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Oct 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women aged between 18 and 65 years in general good health with BMI \< 35 kg/m2 who can provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Participants will be ineligible to enrol if they have diabetes, CVD, any type of cancer (except for basal cell skin cancer), or a condition (pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc) or dietary restriction(s) that would substantially limit their ability to complete the study. Individuals will be screened for their adherence to the Plant based diet Index (PDI ). 1. Individuals with low adherence will enter run-in phase only (6 weeks) 2. Individuals with high adherence will enter the main intervention (4 months)
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
2 sites in 2 countries. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast
Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT12 6BJ, United Kingdom
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University College Dublin
Dublin, Ireland, D04 C1P1, Ireland
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