Nutrition

1. Nutritionpreliminary · human dataAdded 26 July 2026

   Front-loading protein at breakfast missed on muscle

   Pooling seven randomised trials in adults aged 60 and over, adding protein or amino acids at breakfast did not improve lean mass, grip strength or lower-limb strength. The evidence was judged very uncertain, and in trials without exercise the extra morning protein was linked to slightly lower total daily energy intake.

   ⚠What it shows: Systematic review and meta-analysis of only 7 RCTs totalling 305 older adults; the authors rate certainty as very low, effect estimates all crossed zero, and they call for further high-quality trials.Review · Food Sci Nutr

   Full breakdown →Sarcopenia explained →Protein Intake Calculator →Protein or Amino Acid Intake at Breakfast for Muscle Mass Gain in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Food Sci Nutr 2026
2. Nutritionpreliminary · human dataAdded 26 July 2026

   Fat preference, not sweet, tracked worse outcomes

   In 182,181 UK Biobank participants, liking high-fat savoury foods was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes (HR 1.14) and lung cancer (HR 1.10), while liking low-fat savoury foods tracked with lower risk of death, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Sweet preference on its own was not linked to increased risk, and most associations were not explained away by BMI.

   ⚠What it shows: Observational prospective cohort of 182,181 UK Biobank adults with food liking captured on a single 9-point hedonic scale; hazard ratios are small, several confidence intervals reach 1.00, and stated preferences are not measured intake. Associations cannot establish cause.Study · Br J Nutr

   Full breakdown →All-cause mortality explained →Healthy Lifestyle & Life Expectancy →Associations between liking patterns for foods characterised by high/low fat content and sweet/savoury profiles and health outcomes: findings from the UK Biobank prospective cohort study. Br J Nutr 2026
3. Nutritionpreliminary · human dataAdded 23 July 2026

   Protein shakes help women build muscle, not lose fat.

   In a 2025 meta-analysis of nine trials in women, pairing a protein supplement with exercise gave small but significant gains in fat-free mass, muscle size and strength, but made no difference to fat mass or body-fat percentage.

   ⚠What it shows: Nine trials, 408 women aged 18 to 73. Muscle effects were small (about 0.45 kg fat-free mass) and there was no effect on fat loss; the authors call for more high-quality trials.Meta-analysis (9 RCTs) · n=408 · healthy women 18 to 73 · Front Nutr

   Full breakdown →Whey protein guide →Effects of multi-ingredient protein supplementation combined with exercise on body composition and muscle fitness in healthy women: a systematic review with multilevel meta-analysis. Front Nutr 2025

Back to the full archive · this week’s studies