Overview
- The three-part Lancet series by 43 experts concludes that rising ultra-processed food intake is a major public health threat requiring urgent, coordinated policy action.
- India-focused calls urge front-of-pack warnings stating “high in sugar/salt/fats,” citing retail UPF sales jumping from $0.9 billion in 2006 to nearly $38 billion in 2019 as obesity rates doubled.
- Researchers synthesize decades of evidence linking UPF-heavy diets to overeating and adverse effects across multiple organ systems, with randomized trials showing substantially higher calorie intake on UPF diets.
- A Nov. 13 JAMA Oncology study reported a 45% higher risk of early-onset colorectal adenoma in women with the highest UPF intake compared with the lowest, noting the association does not prove causation.
- Experts highlight aggressive marketing and lobbying by the UPF industry as key obstacles to regulation and recommend measures such as warning labels, tighter advertising limits, and UPF-free school canteens.