How processed foods affect the brain's reward system and learning about food cues
Official title: Effects of Processed Foods on Brain Reward Circuitry and Food Cue Learning
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11032822 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how eating ultra-processed foods affects your brain and how it might change your eating habits, so if you're curious about how these foods could impact your memory and attention, this research is for you!
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $541,230 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK136030-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11032822 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are overweight adults who consume a diet high in processed foods.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not overweight or those with specific dietary restrictions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the impact of ultra-processed foods on brain regions associated with reward, attention, and memory. By comparing the effects of ultra-processed diets to minimally-processed diets, the study aims to understand how these foods influence eating behavior and caloric intake. Participants will undergo brain imaging to observe how different types of foods activate specific brain areas. The goal is to uncover the mechanisms behind increased caloric consumption and weight gain linked to processed food consumption.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better dietary recommendations and interventions for obesity prevention and treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that processed foods can significantly affect caloric intake and weight gain, suggesting that this research builds on established findings.
Where this research is happening
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Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stice, Eric M — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Stice, Eric M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.