Ultra-processed foods have more in common with cigarettes than vegetables, study finds
Scientists compare ultra-processed foods and cigarettes
- A study by three US universities argues that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) should face stricter regulation, comparing them to cigarettes due to their engineering for consumption and addiction.
- The research found that both industries employ similar strategies to evade regulation and increase product appeal, which "collectively hijack human biology."
- High UPF consumption has been linked to rising rates of obesity, neurological changes, and metabolic dysfunction across 50 countries, with one American reportedly dying every four minutes from associated preventable diseases.
- The study, published in The Milbank Quarterly, suggests that UPFs should be evaluated as addictive, industrially engineered substances, not solely through a nutritional lens.
- It calls for public health efforts to shift accountability from individuals to the food industry, advocating for policy tools like marketing restrictions and limited availability in schools, drawing lessons from tobacco regulation.
Bookmark popover
Removed from bookmarks