The rapid rise of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in global diets is harming public health, driving a rise in incidence of chronic diseases and widening health inequalities, says a new Lancet series published recently. UPFs are made to “look good, taste good”, and their high consumption is linked to obesity, heart problems and other non-communicable diseases, the publication says in an editorial.
At the core of the UPF industry is the largescale processing of cheap commodities such as maize, wheat, soy and palm oil, into a wide array of food-derived substances and additives, controlled by a small number of transnational corporations, says Lancet, observing that UPFs are “aggressively marketed and engineered to be hyperpalatable”, driving repeat consumption and often displacing traditional, nutrient-rich foods.
It says that just a “handful of manufacturers, including Nestle, PepsiCo, Unilever and Coca-Cola, dominate the market” and notes that the industry “generates enormous revenues that support continued growth and fund corporate political activities to counter attempts at UPF regulation”.
It calls for a comprehensive, government-led approach to reverse the rise in UPF consumption. Priority actions include adding ultra-processed markers, such as colours, flavours and non-sugar sweeteners, to the nutrient profiling models used to identify unhealthy foods; mandatory front-of-pack warning labels; bans on marketing aimed at children; restrictions on these types of food in public institutions; and higher taxes on UPFs.
The Lancet article is part of a campaign against UPFs, but its stand is supported by an overwhelming body of scientific literature, many of which have been viewed by Quantum. In a paper published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, a group of Spanish researchers cite evidence linking high UPF consumption and depression. Another Danish study “provides evidence that consumption of ultra-processed food is detrimental for cardiometabolic and reproductive outcomes, regardless of excessive caloric intake”.
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Published on December 29, 2025