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Ultra Processed | Food Tech & the American Diet
The National Institutes of Health's apical researcher connected ultra-processed foods announced Wednesday helium was stepping down from the agency, accusing apical aides to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of censorship.
"Unfortunately, caller events person made maine question whether NIH continues to beryllium a spot wherever I tin freely behaviour unbiased science," the researcher, Dr. Kevin Hall, wrote in a post connected societal media Wednesday.
After 21 years astatine my imagination job, I’m precise bittersweet to denote my aboriginal status from the National Institutes of Health. My life’s enactment has been to scientifically survey however our nutrient situation affects what we eat, and however what we devour affects our physiology. Lately, I’ve focused on… pic.twitter.com/JSybxCujDH
— Kevin Hall (@KevinH_PhD) April 16, 2025Hall told CBS News that helium was blocked by the section from being straight interviewed by a newsman from The New York Times, asking about recent research on however ultra-processed foods tin beryllium addictive.
The survey recovered that ultra-processed foods did not look to beryllium addictive successful the aforesaid mode arsenic addictive drugs, which trigger outsized dopamine responses successful the brain. That means overconsumption of ultra-processed foods mightiness beryllium happening for much analyzable reasons.
"It conscionable suggests that they whitethorn not beryllium addictive by the emblematic mechanics that galore drugs are addictive. But adjacent this spot of daylight betwixt the preconceived communicative and our survey was seemingly excessively much," Hall said successful a message.
Andrew Nixon, a apical spokesperson nether Kennedy, downplayed the study's results to the reporter, Hall said. Hall's written answers were past edited and sent to the newsman without his consent, helium said.
"The information is that it was the largest survey of its benignant and nary erstwhile survey had the aforesaid level of dietary control, overmuch little admitted them to a infirmary to guarantee fare adherence," Hall said.
In a statement, a spokesperson for HHS said it was "disappointing that this idiosyncratic is fabricating mendacious claims."
"NIH scientists have, and will, proceed to behaviour interviews regarding their probe done written responses oregon different means. We stay committed to promoting gold-standard probe and advancing nationalist wellness priorities. Any effort to overgarment this arsenic censorship is simply a deliberate distortion of the facts," the spokesperson said.
In effect to the department's statement, Hall asked: "I wonderment however they specify censorship?"
Hall said helium had besides been blocked from presenting his probe connected ultra-processed foods astatine a league and fixed an ultimatum to either comply with edits demanded by officials connected a manuscript helium had worked connected with extracurricular scientists oregon region himself arsenic a co-author.
"I was hoping this was an aberration. So, weeks agone I wrote to my agency's enactment expressing my concerns and requested clip to sermon these issues, but I ne'er received a response," helium said successful his post.
Before this week, Hall had been considered arsenic 1 of NIH's starring researchers connected ultra-processed foods. He was among experts featured successful CBS Reports' investigation connected however ultra-processed foods person go truthful pervasive successful the American diet.
"He led a seminal objective proceedings demonstrating that ultra-processed foods led to calorie consumption," Susan Mayne, erstwhile caput of the Food and Drug Administration's nutrient information and nutrition center, said successful a message.
Mayne said that much caller enactment has focused connected unpacking Hall's findings astir however ultra-processed nutrient leads to overconsumption.
"This enactment is captious to recognize what it is mechanistically astir UPF that whitethorn beryllium driving obesity. Few places different than NIH person metabolic wards to adjacent bash specified research," Mayne said.
Hall's aboriginal status marks the latest high-profile departure from the NIH, which has seen its ranks of apical scientists gutted done oustings and layoffs nether the Trump medication since February.
It besides marks the latest disagreement betwixt Kennedy and the national scientists who person recovered themselves muzzled connected his priorities.
Kennedy connected Wednesday besides touted caller autism probe from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that experts and advocacy groups say mischaracterized the agency's findings.
Unlike erstwhile releases from the CDC's ongoing survey connected autism spectrum disorder, national scientists person not been allowed to talk to the media astir the latest circular of results, CBS News previously reported.
Alexander Tin is simply a integer newsman for CBS News based successful the Washington, D.C. bureau. He covers national nationalist wellness agencies.
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