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.

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 about the research published in the Lancet medical journal on Tuesday.

"What we know right now justifies global public action."

UPFs are a class of food or drink made using processing techniques, additives and indust

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