$5,000 to eat chicken nuggets? Scientists are paying participants to decode a very American health problem

Who can forget the irresistible taste of a scoop of their favorite ice cream or eating sweet candies after unwrapping or555[p biting into a cheesy, golden pizza, burger or other readily available processed fast food options? These tempting food choices are at our fingertips as researchers scratch their heads over measuring their effects on our bodies. A study is currently underway at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where three dozen participants have been fed luring packaged meals 24/7, per Fortune. The research aims to allow scientists to understand how certain popular foods, like meatballs, giant salad bowls with crafty dressings, and everyone’s beloved chicken nuggets, are so fulfilling.

Several participants in extensive research have reportedly agreed to live in a clinical center for nearly a month. And they are being paid $5,000 to allow experts to closely monitor them munching on their favorite processed food, per the outlet. Among the participants was a 20-year-old college student from Florida named Sam Srisatta. He spent his time inside the government hospital last fall, playing video games and, most importantly, sharing his dietary routine with the experts. His diet comes as packaged food that dominates the overall food market in the US, suggesting that 70% of the food supply is now processed or ultra-processed, reported AP News.

“Today, my lunch was chicken nuggets, some chips, some ketchup. It was pretty fulfilling,” Fortune quoted Srisatta. The very fact of how people felt after consuming fast foods like nuggets became one of the goals of the research led by National Institutes of Health nutrition researcher Kevin Hall. “What we hope to do is figure out what those mechanisms are so that we can better understand that process,” Hall added. Hall further explained that the study is expected to reach a definitive conclusion after thoroughly examining the bodily changes that the participants experience after eating ultra-processed food for extended periods.

The research would also shed light on the possibility of packaged food as a source of extra calories for the consumer and how it affects their overall weight. Instead of turning to conventional methods of research, such as collecting self-reported data, they adopted a 24/7 observatory approach to determine serious health-related problems like obesity being linked to ultra-processing. The study was initiated amid repeated claims made by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. concerning nutrition and chronic diseases. Kennedy Jr. considered processed foods the primary culprit behind a range of diseases afflicting children, and he even advocated in a Senate confirmation hearing to remove them from school lunches, reported the outlet.

Processed or ultra-processed foods, which typically contain higher fat, sodium, and sugar contents, are notably produced using artificial colors and preservatives. As highlighted by the publication, some studies claim that consuming ultra-processed foods can lead to negative health effects. In 2019, Hall, along with his colleagues, experimented, and they found ultra-processed foods to be calorically abundant, per the National Library of Medicine. Those who consumed packaged food had a 500-calorie surplus compared to when they ate a matched diet of unprocessed foods. The latest research aims to double down on the existing literature and test new theories about the nutritional effects of ultra-processed foods. Moreover, the results of the trial are expected to be announced later this year.