By Jennifer Rigby

LONDON (Reuters) -Ultra-processed foods are a major public health threat that must be urgently addressed, according to a new series of papers authored by 43 global experts in the Lancet medical journal.

The scientists, including the Brazilian professor who coined the term with colleagues around 15 years ago, argue that UPFs are now increasingly common worldwide and linked to a decline in diet quality and a number of diseases, from obesity to cancer.

“It’s about the evidence we have today about … ultra-processed foods and human health,” Carlos Monteiro, professor at the University of Sao Paulo, said at an online briefing on Tuesday. “What we know right now justifies global public action.”

PROCESSING AND POLITICS

UPFs are a class of food or drink made using processing

See Full Page