Overview
- The series synthesizes 104 epidemiological studies, with 92 reporting associations between higher intake of ultraprocessed foods and increased risks including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and premature death.
- One paper estimates these products account for more than half of daily calories in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, with an average of about 35% in France.
- Authors propose strong measures such as a prominent black banner on packaging to flag ultraprocessed status, taxes, restrictions on advertising to children and bans in schools and hospitals.
- Researchers describe decades of aggressive promotion by major food companies and compare their tactics to those used by the tobacco industry, naming groups including Nestlé, PepsiCo, Unilever, Coca‑Cola, Danone, FEMSA, Mondelez and Kraft Heinz.
- Debate continues over the Nova classification used to define ultraprocessed foods, with some scientists arguing the framework is too broad even as others say the evidence warrants immediate policy action.