Ultra-Processed Foods and Ultra-Fun Runs

Editors’ Note: If you ever find us in Promotions or Spam, move us to Primary so you never miss the latest edition.

Words in blue will be defined in Today’s Dictionary below!

On July 25, 2025, the FDA and USDA posted a Request for Information (RFI) in the Federal Register. They are asking scientists, industry experts, and the public to weigh in on how Ultra-Processed Foods (UPF) should be defined and measured. Comments are open until September 23, after which agency staff will sift through the submissions and decide whether to move on to a formal proposal. RFIs sit at the very start of the federal rule-making pipeline and are meant to collect data, spot land-mines, and decide whether a rule is even warranted. The kickoff of this process could suggest that the FDA wants to create policies around UPFs.

Decoding the Classification Debate

When talking about UPFs, most researchers begin with NOVA, which was devised at the University of São Paulo in 2009. NOVA sorts foods into four groups, from minimally processed staples like fresh fruit (Group 1) to ultra-processed foods (Group 4) that have multiple additives, industrial processing steps, and rarely resemble their original ingredients. Critics note that a fortified whole-wheat bread can land in the same box as jelly beans, because NOVA only looks at the process. The RFI explicitly calls out that shortcoming and asks whether hybrid models should be adopted to layer nutrient profiles on top of processing flags.

Numbers Worth Knowing

Fresh CDC surveillance shows that ultra-processed foods supply about 55% of all calories eaten by U.S. adults and 62% for children. That share has slipped a few percentage points since 2017, yet it still dominates the American plate. Separately, a February 2024 analysis of more than 10,000 NHANES participants found that adults in the top quartile of UPF consumption had 60% higher odds of low muscle mass.

Why You Should Care

If the FDA puts too much weight on processing scores, it could group muscle-friendly foods like Greek yogurt, protein shakes, and protein bars with soda and candy. That’s not just bad optics, it is bad nutrition policy. The NOVA system might steer you toward eating more butter and less whole wheat bread simply because butter is less processed. That is not a useful guide for anyone, especially if you are trying to build muscle.

As a loose rule of thumb, NOVA can be a helpful framework, but when it comes to government policy, precision matters. Certain UPFs can support a muscle-focused diet when used with intention. They should not replace whole meals, but they can be valuable add-ons for people who train hard, travel often, or just need help hitting their protein goals.

Grammy-winning DJ, born Thomas Wesley Pentz, got his stage name from a childhood obsession with dinosaurs, specifically the Diplodocus. Now, he's been bringing his beats to the streets with Diplo's Run Club.

Starting Line

It all kicked off in 2024 when Diplo conquered a Miami half marathon and celebrated at a club. He channeled that runner-meets-raver vibe into a fitness phenomenon, drawing over 14,000 athlete ravers to his first official 5K rave in San Francisco. Diplo’s unique fusion of fitness and EDM quickly landed him among Running USA’s Top 5K Races of 2024.

First Stride

Diplo’s Run Club is hitting the road through early 2026, touring New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and other major cities. Each event pairs a scenic 5K course with an electrifying post-run rave. Early bird tickets for the NYC event are already sold out. The remaining tickets sit at $129 for a 5K race entry, shirt, medal & Diplo concert. You can attend just the show for $58, even if you’re not a runner.

Hitting Pace

Diplo recently teamed up with Ladder, a popular strength training and coaching app. Ladder is bringing its mobile gym (looks like a food truck but with weights) with coach-led workouts and strength competitions designed to test your speed, endurance, and power. The goal is to make fitness feel like a community celebration.

Why you should care

Diplo’s Run Club isn’t just another flex for your Strava feed. It’s part of a bigger shift in how we train. Community-driven fitness is on the rise, making workouts more social and more likely to stick. When that energy is paired with a blend of cardio and strength, you get better performance. Moderate cardio boosts blood flow, recovery, and endurance so you can push harder in the gym. The old cardio vs strength debate misses the point: smart muscle health is built on both.

Or copy and paste this link to others: {{rp_refer_url}}

Current Referral Count: {{rp_num_referrals}}