{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T05:00:30Z","timestamp":1787029230589,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":95,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,24]],"date-time":"2025-06-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1750723200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are foods that have undergone extensive industrial processing, with the addition of emulsifiers and sweeteners together with various chemicals originating during preparation and the packaging procedures. UPFs are intended to be more palpable, long lasting, and easier to find and consume. However, their widespread use has been linked to various disorders, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes (T2D), obesity, and lately metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Given that MASLD is primarily driven by excessive fat accumulation in the liver and considering the high energy density and poor nutritional quality of UPFs, a plausible link has emerged between elevated UPF intake and increased MASLD risk. The aim of this review is to synthesize current data regarding the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying MASLD, the role of UPF overconsumption in its development, and potential strategies to prevent disease progression towards metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Special focus is placed on the contribution of UPFs to these processes, highlighting the importance of minimizing their consumption as supported by contemporary research.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17132098","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,24]],"date-time":"2025-06-24T10:44:41Z","timestamp":1750761881000},"page":"2098","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["Ultra-Processed Foods and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD): What Is the Evidence So Far?"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Eleni V.","family":"Geladari","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Third Department of Internal Medicine, Evangelismos General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4338-4879","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dimitris","family":"Kounatidis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Diabetes Center, First Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gerasimos Socrates","family":"Christodoulatos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology, Sismanogleio General Hospital, 15126 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sotiria","family":"Psallida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology, KAT General Hospital, 14561 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Argyro","family":"Pavlou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Internal Medicine, Sismanogleio General Hospital, 15126 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Charalampia V.","family":"Geladari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hellenic Society of Environmental and Climate Medicine, 17455 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6725-3510","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vassilios","family":"Sevastianos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Third Department of Internal Medicine, Evangelismos General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7008-388X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria","family":"Dalamaga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3874-5393","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Natalia G.","family":"Vallianou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Internal Medicine, Sismanogleio General Hospital, 15126 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1608374","DOI":"10.3389\/ijph.2025.1608374","article-title":"Ultra-Processed Foods Consumption Is Associated With Intakes of Critical Nutrients Related to Non-Communicable Diseases Among Adults in Dakar, Senegal","volume":"70","author":"Diouf","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. 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