Overview
- Three papers by 43 experts conclude that diets high in ultra-processed foods are degrading diet quality and are associated with harm across major organ systems.
- The series’ systematic review found 92 of 104 long-term studies reported higher risks for at least a dozen conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression.
- Authors call for measures such as front-of-package UPF markers, tough limits on child-directed marketing, taxes, and bans in public institutions, citing Brazil’s school-food rules as a model.
- UPFs now account for more than half of daily calories in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, displacing fresh and minimally processed foods.
- Independent scientists note the evidence is largely observational and urge randomized trials, while industry groups say the proposals outpace the data; a separate long-term U.S. cohort study linked higher UPF intake to earlier precancerous colon polyps in women.