https://www.theguardian.com/global/article/2024/jun/27/ultra-processed-foods-need-tobacco-style-warnings-says-scientist [p] Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Close dialogue1/1Next imagePrevious imageToggle caption Skip to navigation Print subscriptions Sign in Search jobs Search US edition[ ] * US edition * UK edition * Australia edition * Europe edition * International edition The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian [ ] * News * Opinion * Sport * Culture * Lifestyle ShowMoreShow More * [ ]News + View all News + US news + US elections 2024 + Donald Trump trials + World news + Environment + Ukraine + Soccer + Business + Tech + Science + Newsletters + Wellness * [ ]Opinion + View all Opinion + The Guardian view + Columnists + Letters + Opinion videos + Cartoons * [ ]Sport + View all Sport + Euro 2024 + Soccer + NFL + Tennis + MLB + MLS + NBA + NHL + F1 + Golf * [ ]Culture + View all Culture + Film + Books + Music + Art & design + TV & radio + Stage + Classical + Games * [ ]Lifestyle + View all Lifestyle + Wellness + Fashion + Food + Recipes + Love & sex + Home & garden + Health & fitness + Family + Travel + Money * Search input [ ] google-search Search + Support us + Print subscriptions * [ ]US edition + UK edition + Australia edition + Europe edition + International edition * + Search jobs + Digital Archive + Guardian Licensing + About Us + The Guardian app + Video + Podcasts + Pictures + Inside the Guardian + Guardian Weekly + Crosswords + Wordiply + Corrections * + Search jobs + Digital Archive + Guardian Licensing + About Us * US * US elections 2024 * Donald Trump trials * World * Environment * Ukraine * Soccer * Business * Tech * Science * Newsletters * Wellness Selection of chocolate bars including Aero, Toffee Crisp and Yorkie, along with Jammie Dodgers, Hula Hoops and fizzy drinks including Fanta, Relentless and Coca Cola [ ] In the UK and US, more than half the average diet now consists of ultra-processed food. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA View image in fullscreen In the UK and US, more than half the average diet now consists of ultra-processed food. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA Health Ultra-processed foods need tobacco-style warnings, says scientist UPFs should also be heavily taxed due to impact on health and mortality, says scientist who coined term Andrew Gregory Health editor Wed 26 Jun 2024 23.01 EDTLast modified on Thu 27 Jun 2024 10.18 EDT Share Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are displacing healthy diets "all over the world" despite growing evidence of the risks they pose and should be sold with tobacco-style warnings, according to the nutritional scientist who first coined the term. Prof Carlos Monteiro of the University of Sao Paulo will highlight the increasing danger UPFs present to children and adults at the International Congress on Obesity this week. "UPFs are increasing their share in and domination of global diets, despite the risk they represent to health in terms of increasing the risk of multiple chronic diseases," Monteiro told the Guardian ahead of the conference in Sao Paulo. "UPFs are displacing healthier, less processed foods all over the world, and also causing a deterioration in diet quality due to their several harmful attributes. Together, these foods are driving the pandemic of obesity and other diet-related chronic diseases, such as diabetes." The stark warning comes amid rapidly rising global consumption of UPFs such as cereals, protein bars, fizzy drinks, ready meals and fast food. In the UK and US, more than half the average diet now consists of ultra-processed food. For some, especially people who are younger, poorer or from disadvantaged areas, a diet comprising as much as 80% UPF is typical. In February, the world's largest review of its kind found UPFs were directly linked to 32 harmful effects to health, including a higher risk of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, adverse mental health and early death. Monteiro and his colleagues first used the phrase UPF 15 years ago when designing the food classification system "Nova". This assesses not only nutritional content but also the processes food undergoes before it is consumed. The system places food and drink into four groups: minimally processed food, processed culinary ingredients, processed food and ultra-processed food. Monteiro told the Guardian he was now so concerned about the impact UPF was having on human health that studies and reviews were no longer sufficient to warn the public of the health hazards. "Public health campaigns are needed like those against tobacco to curb the dangers of UPFs," he told the Guardian in an email. "Such campaigns would include the health dangers of consumption of UPFs. "Advertisements for UPFs should also be banned or heavily restricted, and front-of-pack warnings should be introduced similar to those used for cigarette packs." He will tell delegates: "Sales of UPFs in schools and health facilities should be banned, and there should be heavy taxation of UPFs, with the revenue generated used to subsidise fresh foods." Monteiro will tell the conference that food giants marketing UPFs know that, in order to be competitive, their products must be more convenient, more affordable and tastier than freshly prepared meals. "To maximise profits, these UPFs must have lower cost of production and be overconsumed," he said. He will also draw parallels between UPF and tobacco companies. "Both tobacco and UPFs cause numerous serious illnesses and premature mortality; both are produced by transnational corporations that invest the enormous profits they obtain with their attractive/ addictive products in aggressive marketing strategies, and in lobbying against regulation; and both are pathogenic (dangerous) by design, so reformulation is not a solution." However, Dr Hilda Mulrooney, a reader in nutrition and health at London Metropolitan University, said comparing UPF to tobacco was "very simplistic". "There is no such thing as a safe cigarette, even second-hand, so banning them is relatively straightforward in that the health case is very clear. "However, we need a range of nutrients including fat, sugar and salt, and they have multiple functions in foods - structural, shelf-life - not just taste and flavour and hedonic properties. "It is not as easy to reformulate some classes of foods to reduce them and they are not the same as tobacco because we need food - just not in the quantities most of us are consuming." Explore more on these topics * Health * Ultra-processed foods * Food science * news Share Reuse this content Most viewed Most viewed * US * US elections 2024 * Donald Trump trials * World * Environment * Ukraine * Soccer * Business * Tech * Science * Newsletters * Wellness * News * Opinion * Sport * Culture * Lifestyle Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning Sign up for our email * About us * Help * Complaints & corrections * SecureDrop * Work for us * * Privacy policy * Cookie policy * Terms & conditions * Contact us * All topics * All writers * Digital newspaper archive * Facebook * YouTube * Instagram * LinkedIn * X * Newsletters * Advertise with us * Guardian Labs * Search jobs Back to top (c) 2024 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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