Overview
- The Lancet published a three-part analysis by 43 researchers detailing how the food industry drives sales of ultra-processed products and calling for stronger regulation.
- Evidence summarized in the series links high intake of these products to overeating, poor nutrient quality, and higher risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and depression.
- WHO warns nutritious foods are becoming unaffordable as cheap ultra-processed items proliferate globally, while UNICEF highlights children’s heavy exposure and urges a coordinated response.
- Researchers report the sector generated about $1.9 trillion in revenue in 2023 and uses marketing and lobbying to obstruct nutrition policies.
- Market data indicate roughly half of products in German supermarkets are ultra-processed, underscoring the category’s reach, while some scientists dispute definitions and note that associations do not prove causation.