Ultra-Processed Foods Should Be Regulated Like Cigarettes, Researchers Say

Researchers argue ultra-processed foods share key traits with cigarettes and need far stricter regulation.
The study, by scientists from Harvard University, University of Michigan and Duke University, says UPFs are engineered to drive addiction and overconsumption.
They point to design features that rapidly stimulate reward pathways, similar to tobacco products.
The paper, published in Milbank Quarterly, links UPFs to widespread public health harm.
Authors warn that marketing claims such as “low fat” act like historic cigarette health claims.
They urge policies mirroring tobacco control, shifting responsibility from individuals to food manufacturers.