Researchers at Harvard, the University of Michigan and Duke argue that many ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are deliberately engineered in ways that resemble tobacco industry tactics and call for comparable regulation. Published in the Milbank Quarterly, their paper says common UPFs—such as soft drinks, chips and cookies—are industrially formulated to optimize the mix and “doses” of ingredients that encourage repeated, excessive consumption. The authors describe these products not merely as sources of nutrients but as “highly engineered and hedonically optimized” items designed to drive compulsive use.
Because food is essential and impossible for most people to avoid entirely, the researchers contend that regulating UPFs is particularly urgent. They propose borrowing measures used against tobacco: clearer, more prominent labeling; higher taxes on harmful products; restrictions on sales in schools and hospitals; and tighter limits on marketing aimed at children.
Their analysis adds to rising concern about children’s exposure to UPFs. A recent UNICEF study in The Lancet, covering 11 countries, found that 10–35% of children under five regularly consumed sweet soft drinks, and about 60% of teenagers reported eating at least one UPF the day before their survey. In wealthier nations, UPFs can supply more than half of daily calories, and consumption is growing rapidly in lower-income countries.
Githinji Gitahi, CEO of Amref Health Africa, warned that corporations are taking advantage of weak regulation and shifting diets across Africa, creating a “growing public health alarm” and putting avoidable strain on fragile health systems.
Not all experts accept a direct equivalence with tobacco. Professor Martin Warren of the Quadram Institute cautioned that it remains unclear whether UPFs are pharmacologically addictive in the same way as tobacco, or whether their impact stems more from learned preferences, reward conditioning and convenience.
The study’s authors say that, despite these debates, the scale of harm linked to UPFs warrants urgent policy attention modeled on successful tobacco-control strategies.