Overview
- An expansive three-paper Lancet series synthesizing 100+ studies concludes ultra-processed foods now pose a global public‑health threat and are displacing whole‑food diets.
- Consumption is high and rising—roughly 55% of calories in the U.S. and U.K., 46% in Canada, and rapidly expanding in India—prompting calls for warning labels and marketing curbs.
- A randomized experiment from Virginia Tech found that 18–21‑year‑olds exposed to a two‑week ultra‑processed diet later ate more and snacked when not hungry, despite nutrient‑matched control diets.
- A controlled feeding trial in older adults at South Dakota State University showed that reducing ultra‑processed foods cut spontaneous calorie intake by ~400 kcal/day, lowered body and abdominal fat, and improved insulin sensitivity and inflammatory markers.
- Experts recommend front‑of‑pack warnings, restrictions on advertising to children, and safeguards against industry influence, while reviewers note mechanisms need further study even as observational links (including a reported 45% higher risk of early‑onset colorectal adenomas at highest intake) continue to mount.