Ultra-Processed Foods Should Face Tobacco-Style Regulation, Study Argues

Ultra-processed foods resemble cigarettes more than fresh food and need tougher regulation, researchers say.
Scientists from Harvard, the University of Michigan, and Duke University say UPFs are engineered to drive addiction and overconsumption.
They cite design tactics that maximise reward responses and speed of intake.
The study, published in Milbank Quarterly, links UPFs to widespread health harm.
Researchers compare “health washing” claims to past cigarette marketing tactics.
They argue regulation should target industry practices, not individual choice.
Experts say lessons from tobacco control could reduce diet-related disease burdens.