Study: Ultra-processed foods like snacks, sugary drinks should be treated like cigarettes

A new study has found that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) share more similarities with cigarettes than with natural foods such as fruits and vegetables.

UPFs are industrially formulated food products that typically contain five or more ingredients, including additives, preservatives, sweeteners, emulsifiers, artificial colours, and flavours. Common examples include soft drinks and packaged snacks such as crisps and biscuits.

The study, published on Tuesday in the healthcare journal The Milbank Quarterly, examined evidence from nutrition, addiction science, and public health history to compare UPFs with cigarettes.

Its findings showed that the manufacturing processes behind UPFs closely resemble those used in cigarette production, with both relying on deliberate engineering techniques developed to encourage “compulsive consumption”.Read Original/Read Complete.