Overview

• The FDA and USDA issued a July request for information to craft a uniform definition of ultra-processed foods.
• HHS’s Make America Healthy Again recommendations on UPFs, due August 12, have been delayed during White House stakeholder previews.
• A recent CDC report indicates ultra-processed items account for more than half of Americans’ caloric intake.
• Large observational reviews associate higher UPF consumption with worse outcomes such as kidney decline, obesity, diabetes and depression, though risks differ by product type.
• Public guidance emphasizes reading ingredient lists for additives uncommon in home kitchens, and experts note some processed foods can be neutral or beneficial.