Overview
- The three-article Lancet package, authored by 43 experts, synthesizes more than 100 studies linking high UPF intake to multiple chronic diseases and higher all-cause mortality.
- Drawing on data from 93 countries, the authors report sharp increases in UPF consumption, including Spain’s rise from roughly 11% to 32% of daily calories over recent decades.
- The series proposes mandatory front-of-pack identification, bans on marketing to children, removal from schools and hospitals, limits on retail availability, and taxes earmarked to improve access to fresh foods.
- WHO and UNICEF publicly support the initiative, contributing companion pieces that endorse stronger public-health measures.
- The papers describe multinational corporate strategies—aggressive marketing, political lobbying, and shaping science—as akin to the tobacco playbook, while noting research gaps that still need to be addressed.