Gaby
Professor Carlos Monteiro from the University of São Paulo (Brazil) asserts that ultra-processed foods are so harmful to health that they should be sold with warnings, similar to tobacco products. This opinion was voiced by the renowned scientist at the International Congress on Obesity, which took place in late June 2024 in São Paulo.
Ultra-processed food products (UPF) are increasing their share and dominating global diets, despite posing numerous health risks, including chronic diseases, the professor stated. “They are displacing healthier, less processed foods worldwide and are contributing to a decline in dietary quality due to their harmful properties,” Mr. Monteiro noted.
He believes that UPF contributes to the spread of obesity and other nutrition-related chronic diseases, such as diabetes. Therefore, the sale and consumption of such foods need to be strictly limited. Warnings similar to those found on cigarette packages should be placed on their packaging.
Is This Proposal Reasonable?
At first glance, the idea seems logical, albeit somewhat radical. According to statistics, more than half of the typical diet of residents in the U.S. and the U.K. consists of ultra-processed products. This is despite the fact that they pose risks of heart disease, various types of cancer, diabetes, and even potential deterioration of mental health.
Thus, Professor Monteiro’s assertion that UPF should be regarded as a health hazard on par with tobacco products is not without merit.
However, some experts do not believe that the strict measures he proposed to limit UPF are a solution to the problem. Firstly, the category of such products includes not only fast-food hamburgers but also baby formulas, fruit yogurts, and even store-bought bread.
Secondly, the consumption of ultra-processed food is linked to poverty. According to Paul Coleman, an honorary research fellow at London Metropolitan University, many low-income individuals are aware of the harmful effects of UPF on their children’s health, but they have no choice. “Cheap and unhealthy products with long shelf lives are their only viable option,” the scholar added.
Not everyone was satisfied with the comparison of ultra-processed foods to tobacco products, as reported by IFLScience. Of course, cigarettes can be completely banned. However, UPF contains fats, sugars, and salts that our bodies need, as well as some flavor, aroma, and hedonic properties. Therefore, it is not as easy to eliminate this food from our lives as it is to ban cigarettes, noted Hilda Malroney, a lecturer in the Department of Nutrition and Health at London Metropolitan University. In her view, such products can be part of the diet, but not in the quantities that many have become accustomed to.
