Researchers call for urgent new policies to curb ultra-processed foods

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Widespread consumption of ultra-processed foods, a product of corporate strategies developed decades ago by Big Tobacco, is contributing to a rise in health problems, a report says. collection of papers published Wednesday According to the American Journal of Public Health.

The authors argue that urgent policy changes are needed to address chronic disease-related food consumption, which dates back to the acquisition of food businesses by tobacco industry giants. These companies may manipulate the contents of food products, using tactics perfected in the development of addictive tobacco products. fosters addictive patterns The authors argue that overconsumption is to blame.

According to a collection of papers by Nicolas Chartres, a researcher at the University of Sydney in Australia, “food addictiveness” can be found in ultra-processed foods that encourage compulsive consumption.

“The evidence regarding the health hazards of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is clear, and there is extensive evidence that processed junk foods have been reformulated to promote overconsumption and consumption patterns similar to those observed in nicotine addiction,” wrote Chartres, who is also affiliated with the international organization. The center for eliminating corporate damage At the University of California, San Francisco. The university maintains a database of thousands of pages of confidential internal tobacco industry documents.

Chartres argues that the UPF industry is downplaying the harms of such foods, arguing that individuals must take responsibility for their own health and food choices, and failing to address the “cocktail of chemicals” found in their products.

“These are the same tactics the tobacco industry used to fight to delay regulation.” Chartres wrote.

New research included in the paper shows that increased intake of ultra-processed foods may lead to cancer, diabetes and dementia, metabolic syndrome and other health problems. Researchers reiterate in their editorial brief that 2.3 million deaths worldwide may be linked to consumption of ultra-processed foods.

The papers, published in the journal’s special section, call for the introduction of warning labels, marketing restrictions or bans, and taxes to reduce food consumption, especially for children.

“To truly help people reduce their intake of ultra-processed foods, we need a wide range of policy options aimed at making healthier foods more available, accessible, and affordable,” writes nutrition expert and New York University professor Marion Nestle. One of the newly published articles.

“fed up!”

The publication of the paper was coordinated with the launch of “ by scientists, researchers, and public health advocates.Science-first consumer education movement” called fed up!The organization is “dedicated to exposing the harms of ultra-processed foods and empowering Americans with clear, evidence-based information about how our modern food system impacts our health.”

“The food environment is designed to prioritize corporate profits over public health,” Laura Schmidt, a health policy research professor at the University of California, San Francisco, said in a statement. “People have a right to honest information about how these products are designed and sold, making them extremely difficult to avoid.”

Mr. Schmidt is one of a group of scientists supporting Fed UP! and Contribute to a series of papers Published on Wednesday.

Along with articles exploring the The relationship between processed foods and the tobacco industryan article describes how large ultra-processed food companies have influenced what the public and policy makers know about UPF, and examines their funding of nutrition research, academic institutions and scientific councils, and leading nutrition scientists and professional organizations. Other studies show evidence of the production of ultra-processed foods. It causes pollution, biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions.

Overall, this collection includes five studies examining UPF consumption and health, two studies analyzing the role of tobacco-owned food companies in shaping the UPF food system, four studies calling for immediate policy action, and six editorials discussing the structural changes needed to address the harms of UPF.

These papers combine data from previous studies and observations on UPF and its health effects, and are intended to be a timely catalyst for policy change, published as the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement demands food policy action from the Trump administration.

Savory snacks and sweets

Those calling for change are clearly allied with President Trump’s Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long railed against ultra-processed foods and pushed for the reduction of artificial colors and other chemicals in food.

In January, President Kennedy and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins dietary guidelines it is”Significant reduction in highly processed foods.

And last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published research A study of food consumption from 2021 to 2023 found that about 55% of the total calories consumed by Americans over the age of 1 came from ultra-processed foods. For children, the rate was nearly 62%.

The study found that sandwiches, sweet bakery products, savory snacks and sweetened beverages were the top sources of calories from ultra-processed foods among young people and adults.

Various states are also addressing unhealthy food consumption with publications and new policy initiatives.

Last month, the California State Legislature passed a bill establishing the nation’s first “Non-Ultra-Processed Certification” seal that food manufacturers can use to sell food that meets the standards. The bill would also require grocery stores across California to carry the sticker on products.

last year in california Ultra-processed foods banned from school lunchesmust be compliant by 2035.

According to one report, state lawmakers across the country have introduced more than 100 bills aimed at cracking down on chemicals in sugary drinks, synthetic food colors and ultra-processed foods. politiko analysis.

In response, food industry leaders is fighting backclaims new state-by-state restrictions will be imposed. food will become more expensive It limits choices for consumers and leads to job losses.

The Consumer Brands Association, on behalf of the packaged goods industry, said in a statement that companies “welcome fact-based conversations about nutrition.” The association created food processing facts and The truth about ingredients Website as a transparency tool for consumers regarding product ingredients and nutritional information. The Truth About Ingredients site states that it is a “myth” that “food processing is harmful.” The Food Processing Facts site states, “Misconceptions about processed foods can lead to poor diet quality, leave consumers lacking important nutrients, increase the risk of foodborne illness, increase food waste, create biases against culturally important foods such as fortified grains, dietary supplements, plant proteins, and infant formula, and exacerbate health disparities.”

“Companies adhere to rigorous evidence-based safety standards and nutrition policies set by the FDA. [Food & Drug Administration] to provide safe, affordable and convenient products that consumers rely on every day,” the association said.

Featured images Andrei Ryshakov for Unsplash+.