Lancet Series Urges Global Action to Curb Ultraprocessed Foods

Overview

• The Lancet released a special series by 43 researchers led by Brazil’s Carlos Monteiro concluding that ultraprocessed products are displacing traditional diets worldwide.
• A systematic review of 104 long-term studies found 92 reporting increased risk for outcomes including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, mental health disorders, and all-cause mortality.
• National data show rapid uptake, with Brazil and Mexico rising from about 10% to 23% over recent decades, Spain and China increasing markedly, and intake exceeding half of daily energy in the United States and the United Kingdom.
• Researchers attribute the expansion to powerful corporate strategies in a US$1.9 trillion market, citing low-cost formulation, aggressive marketing, and political lobbying that impede effective regulation.
• Proposals include front-of-pack warnings, restrictions on child-directed advertising, selective taxes, bans in public institutions, safeguards against industry interference, and formation of a UPF Network Action, with Brazil’s school-meal rule targeting 90% fresh or minimally processed foods by 2026 cited as a model.