Washington(The COW News Digital) Scientists from three leading U.S. universities have called for stringent regulations on ultra-processed foods, warning that their health risks may be as severe as smoking. The research, drawing on data from 50 countries, highlights the urgent need for public health policies to mitigate the negative impact of these widely consumed products.
According to the study, ultra-processed foods are intentionally engineered to be highly palatable and addictive, encouraging repeated consumption—similar to how tobacco products are manufactured to foster dependence. Experts say this design contributes to long-term health consequences, including obesity, metabolic disorders, brain changes, and even severe neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s.
The research emphasizes the scale of the problem. In the United States alone, it is estimated that a preventable death linked to ultra-processed food consumption occurs every four minutes. Scientists warn that without intervention, the burden on public health could intensify in the coming decades.
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To address these risks, the study’s authors urge governments and health authorities to introduce strict policies, including clear labeling, advertising restrictions, and warnings similar to those applied to tobacco products. Such measures, they argue, are critical to curb overconsumption and protect populations from diet-related illnesses.
Harvard, Duke University, and University of Michigan researchers also revealed that the food and tobacco industries have employed remarkably similar strategies to evade regulation while making their products more appealing, effectively hijacking human biological systems.
“These ultra-processed products are not just convenient—they are designed to be irresistible and harmful,” said one of the lead researchers. “Public health interventions are urgently needed to prevent further escalation of diet-related diseases globally.”
The study’s findings are expected to spark renewed debate over food industry regulations and public health priorities, highlighting the need for international cooperation in controlling products that pose serious risks to human health.
As awareness grows, experts stress that individuals should limit consumption of ultra-processed foods, but broader policy action remains the most effective approach to reducing long-term health damage.
