Ultra-processed foods pose a major threat to public health that must be urgently addressed, according to a new series of research papers written by 43 global experts in the Lancet medical journal.
Scientists, including Brazilian Carlos Monteiro, who coined the term with his colleagues about 15 years ago, argue that ultra-processed foods are now increasingly common around the world and are linked to poor diet quality and a number of diseases, from obesity to cancer.
“It’s about the evidence we have today about…ultra-processed foods and human health…what we know now justifies global public action,” Montero, a professor at the University of Sao Paulo, said in an online media briefing on Tuesday.
Ultra-processed foods are a category of foods or beverages made using processing techniques, additives, and artificial ingredients, and often contain little to no whole foods. Examples include soft drinks or instant noodles.
Although the term ultra-processed food has been widely used in the past few years, scientists and the food industry say the term is too simple and that the battle has become increasingly politicized.
The authors of the papers in The Lancet medical journal acknowledge the criticism, saying more evidence is needed, particularly on why and how ultra-processed foods cause ill health, as well as on products with different nutritional values within this category. But they say the signal is already strong enough for governments to take action.
In a systematic review of 104 long-term studies conducted for this series, 92 studies reported greater risks associated with one or more chronic diseases related to dietary patterns related to ultra-processed foods, and significant links to 12 health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, obesity and depression.