Researchers in India created and tested a new screening tool to help doctors and health workers quickly identify how much ultra-processed food people are eating. Ultra-processed foods are snacks, drinks, and meals that have been heavily manufactured and often contain lots of added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. The study involved 304 Indian adults and found that the new tool, called the Nova-UPF Screener, works really well at measuring ultra-processed food consumption. This matters because eating too many ultra-processed foods is linked to serious health problems like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease—problems that are becoming more common in India.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Can a quick screening tool accurately measure how much ultra-processed food Indian adults eat?
  • Who participated: 304 healthy adults aged 18-60 years from different regions across India participated in the main validation study. Additionally, 74 nutrition experts reviewed the tool, and 70 adults tested it for clarity and usefulness.
  • Key finding: The Nova-UPF Screener showed almost perfect agreement (85% match) with detailed food diaries in measuring ultra-processed food consumption. About half of the participants scored between 2-4 out of 24 on the screener, indicating moderate ultra-processed food consumption.
  • What it means for you: If you’re in India, doctors may soon use this simple screening tool to quickly understand your eating habits and identify if you’re consuming too many ultra-processed foods. This could help you get personalized advice to improve your diet and reduce disease risk. However, this is a screening tool—it’s not a replacement for detailed nutritional counseling.

The Research Details

This was a cross-sectional validation study, which means researchers took a snapshot of people’s eating habits at one point in time rather than following them over months or years. The researchers adapted a screening tool that was originally created for Brazilian people and customized it for the Indian food environment, including 24 categories of ultra-processed foods commonly eaten in India.

The study had three main validation steps. First, 74 nutrition experts reviewed the tool to make sure it covered the right foods and asked questions in a clear way. Second, 70 adults tested the tool to ensure the questions made sense and were easy to understand. Third, 304 adults completed the screener, and their answers were compared against detailed 24-hour food diaries (where people write down everything they eat in a day) to see if the quick screener gave similar results.

This approach is like testing a new thermometer by comparing its readings to a very accurate laboratory thermometer to make sure it works correctly.

Having a validated screening tool is important because detailed food diaries are time-consuming and expensive. A quick screener can help doctors, public health workers, and researchers rapidly identify people eating too many ultra-processed foods without requiring hours of detailed dietary analysis. This is especially valuable in India where healthcare resources are limited and the prevalence of diet-related diseases is rising.

The study’s strengths include expert review from 74 subject matter experts, testing with a reasonably large sample (304 participants), inclusion of people from different geographic regions of India, and very high agreement rates between the screener and detailed food diaries (85% agreement). The study was published in a reputable peer-reviewed journal. However, the sample was limited to adults aged 18-60, so results may not apply to teenagers or elderly people. The study was conducted at one point in time, so it doesn’t show whether the tool works consistently over time.

What the Results Show

The Nova-UPF Screener demonstrated excellent performance in measuring ultra-processed food consumption. When researchers compared the screener results to detailed 24-hour dietary recalls (the gold standard for measuring food intake), they found almost perfect agreement with a Pabak index of 0.85. This means the quick screener gave very similar results to the time-consuming detailed food diaries.

About half of the study participants (49.4%) scored between 2-4 out of 24 on the screener, suggesting moderate consumption of ultra-processed foods. The screener successfully categorized people into groups based on their ultra-processed food consumption levels, which is exactly what it was designed to do.

During the face validation phase, where adults tested whether the questions were clear and made sense, there was 99.4% agreement that all questions should be kept in the tool. This extremely high agreement suggests the screener is easy to understand and relevant to Indian adults.

The 24 ultra-processed food categories included in the final screener were specifically chosen to reflect foods commonly eaten in India, such as packaged snacks, sugary beverages, instant noodles, and processed meats. The tool’s ability to capture India-specific ultra-processed foods makes it more accurate than simply translating tools from other countries. The research also demonstrated that the screener could be administered quickly, making it practical for use in busy healthcare settings.

This study adapted a screening tool originally developed and validated in Brazil, showing that with proper cultural adaptation, validated tools can be modified for different populations. The high validation results (85% agreement) are comparable to or better than similar screening tools used in other countries. This suggests that the approach of adapting and validating existing tools for new populations is effective and more efficient than creating entirely new tools from scratch.

The study only included adults aged 18-60 years, so the results may not apply to teenagers or people over 60. The sample was collected at one point in time, so researchers couldn’t test whether the screener gives consistent results if the same person takes it multiple times. The study was conducted in India, so the results are most applicable to Indian populations and may need further testing in other countries. Additionally, the study didn’t examine whether using this screener actually leads to behavior change or improved health outcomes—it only validated that the tool accurately measures ultra-processed food consumption.

The Bottom Line

Healthcare providers in India should consider using the Nova-UPF Screener as a quick tool to assess ultra-processed food consumption in adult patients (ages 18-60). The evidence strongly supports (high confidence) that this tool accurately measures intake. For individuals: if your doctor uses this screener, take it seriously as an indicator of your diet quality. If you score high, discuss with a nutritionist or doctor about reducing ultra-processed foods and increasing whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This is a screening tool meant to start conversations about diet, not to diagnose disease.

This tool is most useful for doctors, nutritionists, and public health workers in India who want to quickly assess patients’ eating habits. It’s relevant for adults aged 18-60 with any health status. People concerned about diet-related diseases like diabetes, heart disease, or obesity should pay attention to their ultra-processed food consumption. However, this tool may need modification before using it with teenagers or elderly people, as it wasn’t tested in those age groups.

The screener provides immediate results—you can complete it in just a few minutes. However, seeing health benefits from reducing ultra-processed food consumption typically takes 4-12 weeks, depending on how much you change your diet and your individual health status. Some people notice improvements in energy levels and digestion within 2-3 weeks, while weight loss and blood sugar improvements may take longer.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Use the app to complete the Nova-UPF Screener monthly and track your score out of 24. Record the specific ultra-processed food categories you consume most frequently (such as packaged snacks, sugary drinks, or instant noodles) to identify which areas to focus on first.
  • Set a specific goal to reduce consumption in your top 2-3 ultra-processed food categories each month. For example, if you frequently consume sugary beverages, replace one drink per day with water or unsweetened tea. Use the app to log this replacement behavior and track consistency.
  • Retake the full Nova-UPF Screener every 4 weeks to monitor your progress. Create a dashboard showing your screener score trend over time. Additionally, track specific ultra-processed food items you’ve eliminated or reduced, and note any health improvements you observe (energy levels, digestion, sleep quality, or weight changes).

This research validates a screening tool for measuring ultra-processed food consumption—it is not medical advice. The Nova-UPF Screener is designed to help healthcare providers and individuals assess dietary patterns, not to diagnose or treat any medical condition. If you have concerns about your diet or health, please consult with a qualified healthcare provider, registered dietitian, or nutritionist. This tool was validated for adults aged 18-60 in India and may require adaptation for other age groups or populations. Individual dietary needs vary based on age, health status, activity level, and medical conditions.