Ultra-Processed Foods Should Face Tobacco-Style Controls, Researchers Say

Researchers argue ultra-processed foods should be regulated like cigarettes because they are engineered to drive addiction and overconsumption.
A study by scientists from Harvard, the University of Michigan and Duke University says UPFs share key traits with tobacco products.
Manufacturers design both to deliver rapid rewards and maximise repeated use.
The authors link UPFs to widespread health harms and compare marketing claims to historic cigarette “health washing”.
The paper, published in Milbank Quarterly, urges stronger regulation and industry accountability.
Experts say lessons from tobacco control could reduce diet-related disease.