Ultra-Processed Food Lawsuit

Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers is representing those who have suffered health problems due to ultra-processed foods.

Call us today for a free consultation if you or a loved one was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) before age 18 and regularly consumed ultra-processed foods.

Scientific studies, including a January 2025 study, link ultra-processed food with significant health problems in children. As a result lawsuits are being filed against major food companies, accusing the food industry of unfair business practices, deliberately creating addictive foods, knowing about the health risks associated with the foods, and failing to warn about the risks.

These lawsuits are known as product liability lawsuits. We have been handling product liability claims since 1990 and have recovered in excess of $750 million for our clients. We have extensive experience in filing lawsuits against product makers, including food and beverage makers, and this experience will allow us to recover the most money possible on your behalf.

We won’t charge any fee to handle your ultra-processed food lawsuit until and unless we recover financial compensation for you, meaning you will never owe any money out of your own pocket or any upfront fee. Our only fee to handle your lawsuit will be a percentage of any compensation we recover for you.

Call us today for a free consultation, fill out the free case evaluation form, or text us from this page if you or a loved one was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes or NAFLD before age 18 and regularly consumed ultra-processed foods.

We will hold the food industry accountable for causing a national epidemic of poor diet, and chronic disease among America’s youth. 

Do not delay, contact us today so we can immediately file a claim on behalf of you or your loved one.

Table of Contents

• What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?
• Are Ultra-Processed Foods Addictive?
• Allegations Against Ultra-Processed Food Companies
• UPF Companies Knew What They Were Doing
• Health Conditions Linked to Ultra-Processed Foods
• How Ultra-Processed Foods Harm Children
• Who Is Eligible for an Ultra-Processed Foods Lawsuit?
• The Average Ultra-Processed Food Lawsuit Settlement
• Companies Named in UPF Lawsuit
• Contact an Ultra-Processed Food Attorney Today
• Ultra-Processed Foods Lawsuit Updates

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

The Consumer Brands Association is an industry group representing food as well as beverage makers. An association executive tried to downplay ultra-processed food litigation, blasting critics for demonizing food and claiming that it exacerbates health disparities and is misleading to classify foods as being unhealthy due to being processed.

However, “ultra-processed foods,” or UPF, is actually a food categorization defined by a scientific framework known as the NOVA System which is used widely in the scientific community.

Traditional international diets are healthy despite diverging in nutrient content. As an example, Mediterranean diets have a lot of fat, Latin American diets have a lot of carbohydrates, and Asian diets have a lot of salt. Regardless, all promote positive health outcomes and healthful lives.

UPF are different than foods composing diets which are traditional.

UPF are imitations of food – edible substances which are industrially produced. UPF are formulated with cheap industrial ingredients via industrial processes. These highly processed foods aren’t modified foods, but rather formulations made entirely or mostly of fractionated substances which have undergone chemical modifications such as hydrogenation or hydrolysis. These foods, including many packaged snack foods, contain ingredients which have rare or no culinary use, such as:

• High-fructose corn syrup
• Fructose
• Invert sugar
• Fruit juice concentrates
• Dextrose
• Maltodextrin
• Interesterfied or hydrogenated oils
• Lactose
• Soya protein isolate
• Hydrolysed proteins
• Casein
• Gluten
• Mechanically separated meat
• Whey protein

In addition, they contain additives such as:

• Flavors
• Colors
• Emulsifiers
• Flavor enhancers
• Artificial sweeteners
• Emulsifying salts
• Thickeners
• Foaming agents
• Anti-foaming agents
• Bulking agents
• Carbonating agents
• Gelling agents
• Glazing agents

Additives get used to disguise unpleasant properties created by packaging, processes or ingredients used during UPF manufacturing. They are also used to give final products intense sensory properties which are attractive to taste, smell, touch or see.

The substances get assembled into final products via industrial processes like pre-frying, moulding and extrusion. Attractive, sophisticated packaging is then used, typically composed of synthetic materials.

The easy way to identify UPF is to check the ingredients and see if they contain substances that are rarely or never used in kitchens. If they do, the food is UPF.

Ingredients and processes used to manufacture UPF are designed for the creation of products which are highly profitable and hyper-palatable.

UPF are intentionally engineered to be irresistible, addictive and overconsumed.

UPF has displaced real food due to these features as well as aggressive marketing, including marketing in schools and to children.

Common examples of UPF include:

• Candy
• Ice cream
• Cookies
• Chips
• Instant noodles
• Instant soups
• Frozen pizzas
• Instant rice
• Ready-to-eat meals
• Processed meats
• Soft drinks
• Energy drinks
• Cereal
• Waffles
• Processed cheese
• Margarine

According to a 2019 study, UPF compose over 50% of the average American diet.

Are Ultra-Processed Foods Addictive?

Yes. Millions of dollars have been spent by the UPF industry towards figuring out how to hack peoples’ brains and physiological hardware which transmits messages through our bodies.

A December 2021 study found that similar neural pathways are triggered by UPF as are triggered by substances involved in substance use disorders. In other words, the researchers found that UPF addict people in a similar way to drugs. The study found that UPF, cocaine and cigarettes trigger impulsivity, emotion dysregulation and dysfunction in dopaminergic reward signaling.

A 2024 study found that UPF trigger neural responses related to reward which are similar to the responses generated by cigarettes or cocaine.

The Surgeon General, in 1988, issued a report which identified tobacco products as being addictive based upon three criteria:

• They cause compulsive or highly controlled use
• They cause psychoactive effects by affecting the brain
• They reinforce behavior

A 2022 study found that UPF meet the Surgeon General’s criteria for being labeled an addictive substance.

One hallmark of substances that are addictive is their ability to trigger use which is compulsive. Most cardiovascular disease and diabetes patients aren’t able to adhere to dietary plans which are medically recommended if the plans involve reducing UPF intake.

Reviewing the food diaries of those who have eating disorders found that one hundred percent of foods eaten during binge eating episodes were UPF.

The psychoactive drug effects of ultra-processed sweets have been measured and found to be similar to that of 1.5 mg of nicotine administered intravenously. UPF increase dopamine in the brain similarly to nicotine which is delivered orally.

Substances which reinforce behavior are defined by the Surgeon General as those which sufficiently reward in order to maintain administration by the self. Both children and adults will continue self-administering UPF even once satiated.

UPF have a reinforcing nature because they can rapidly deliver sweet tastes, fat and refined carbohydrates. Animals choose to self-administer sweet flavors over cocaine over 80 percent of the time.

Allegations Against Ultra-Processed Food Companies

It is alleged that UPF companies:

• Created addictive substances: It is alleged that UPF have been designed to addict people, utilizing techniques pioneered by the tobacco industry in order to manipulate brain chemistry and consumer behavior. These techniques include using specific processing methods and additives which enhance palatability, driving consumption way past what is healthy or necessary.
• Targeted vulnerable populations: It is alleged that UPF manufacturers aggressively marketed UPF to kids, especially minority children, utilizing tactics such as vibrant packaging, promotions integrated with popular media, and cartoon characters. Lawsuits allege the marketing is deceptive and contributes towards environments where young people are affected by diseases related to diet.
• Created health consequences: It is alleged that UPF being introduced to the public has coincided with strong increases in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, type-2 diabetes and childhood obesity. These are conditions which were once rare in kids but are now quite common, and this suggests that they are linked to UPF.

UPF Companies Knew What They Were Doing

The time span from the 1980’s through the 2000’s saw a systematic transfer of technologies, information, knowledge and people from the tobacco industry to the food and beverage industry.

For example, a research and development group belonging to tobacco company RJ Reynolds coordinated design of food and cigarette formulations, which included analyzing additives and flavors which could get used in food and tobacco products, and the biological activity that resulted from consumption of the products.

In other words, the goal of this group was to understand why its cigarettes were addictive, and utilize this knowledge to design food and tobacco products which were more addictive.

Philip Morris did research into how their products affected the brain, and their scientists regularly collaborated with General Foods and Kraft.

Over the years, UPF manufacturers have followed the example of big tobacco in terms of studying addiction science.

Nestle, since the early 2000’s, has spent millions every year on research towards understanding sensory perception. The company currently employs sensory psychologists who study issues which relate to brain activity.

PepsiCo operates a research and development organization which studies human biology, the brain’s physiological responses, and sensory chemoreception. For example, they measure brain activity in order to guide product formulations, and use robots which have human taste buds hardwired into computers which simulate humans’ neurochemical responses to formulations of products.

In other words, UPF manufacturers are employing advanced science to knowingly formulate the most addictive foods possible.

In addition, it is alleged that tobacco companies RJ Reynolds and Philip Morris used techniques developed for tobacco marketing to develop UPF products, marketing them towards children and minorities. It is alleged the companies use advertising messages which have been found to appeal to kids, child-sized packaging and cartoon mascots to sell UPF.

It has been clear from the very beginning that marketing UPF to children is predatory. In the 1970’s, Sesame Street’s creator referred to marketing UPF to children as “like shooting fish in a barrel… grotesquely unfair.”

In 1978, the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stated that kids are too naive to be able to perceive the purpose of commercials – to sell products – and view them as informational programming.

It has been explained by an advertising executive that when you sell children on products, if they can’t get them, they will throw tantrums until they get them. A director of children’s programming and psychologist noted that this turns children into unwitting salesmen who nag parents to break down their sales resistance.

The FTC has warned that advertising food to children may pose a threat to the health of children. The American Medical Association has characterized the advertising of food to children as counter-productive regarding encouraging sound nutritional habits.

In other words, UPF makers have known for decades that their advertising poses a risk to the health of children.

Even worse, though, UPF makers have funded biased studies in order to minimize the risks of foods.

Food manufacturers will use deceptive marketing to imply that foods are healthy even though they are dangerous, such as by labeling products as natural or low-fat even though they are high in additives or sugar.

Health Conditions Linked to Ultra-Processed Foods

An increasing body of scientific research has linked numerous long-term side effects and health risks with UPF, including:

• Obesity
• Type-II diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease

A 2020 study has linked UPF to heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Studies from 2023 and 2024 have linked UPF with type-2 diabetes.

Studies from 2024 and 2025 have linked UPF with obesity.

Studies from 2023, 2024 and 2025 have linked UPF with NAFLD.

How Ultra-Processed Foods Harm Children

UPF can cause the following in children:

• Chronic inflammation: Stabilizers and preservatives alter gut microbiomes, which triggers systemic inflammation which can lead to heart disease or obesity.
• Metabolic dysfunction: UPF contain lots of sugars and refined carbs, causing a higher risk of type-2 diabetes, insulin resistance and blood sugar spikes
• Nutritional deficiencies: UPF, when they replace whole foods, deprive kids of essential nutrients such as minerals, vitamins and fiber, weakening health.
• Hormonal disruption: Sweeteners and artifician dyes interfere with the balance of hormones, affecting appetite regulation, metabolism and growth.

Kids are particularly vulnerable to harmful effects from UPF because their immune systems, metabolisms and bodies are still developing. Regularly consuming UPF can increase the risk of:

• Faster developing health issues: Kids who eat UPF on a regular basis have a higher risk of experiencing accelerated inflammatory and metabolic damage. This increases the chances of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity and diabetes.
• Food addiction and habit formation: When kids are exposed to UPF, it alters their taste preference, leading to becoming dependent upon nutrient-poor, overly processed foods. This can lead to bad eating habits that persist well into adulthood.
• Long-term risks which are compounded: Eating UPF for years increases the chances of developing chronic health issues, leading to a snowball effect which worsens health outcomes.

Who Is Eligible for an Ultra-Processed Foods Lawsuit?

You may qualify to file an ultra-processed food lawsuit if you or a loved one was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes or NAFLD prior to the age of 18 and regularly consumed ultra-processed foods.

The Average Ultra-Processed Food Lawsuit Settlement

There is no average settlement amount in these lawsuits. The value of your case will depend on the damages you have incurred. Damages we can help you recover financial compensation for in a lawsuit include:

Medical Bills

This includes costs for managing, treating and diagnosing health conditions caused by consumption of UPF.

Pain and Suffering

This includes compensation for reduced quality of life, emotional distress and physical pain caused by health conditions caused by consumption of UPF.

Lost Earning Potential and Wages

This includes a reduction of ability to do future work, or financial losses which are due to time missed from work.

Future Medical Costs

This means the anticipated costs of ongoing management or treatment of chronic health problems.

Companies Named in UPF Lawsuit

Companies named in the initial UPF lawsuit include:

• Mondelez International
• Post Holdings
• Coca-Cola
• PepsiCo
• General Mills
• Nestle
• Kellanova
• WK Kellogg
• Mars Incorporated
• Conagra Brands

Contact an Ultra-Processed Food Attorney Today

Call us today for a free case evaluation if you or a loved one was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes or NAFLD prior to the age of 18 and regularly consumed ultra-processed foods.

We have over 35 years of experience handling product liability cases, and have recovered over $750 Million on behalf of our clients.

There is no upfront charge for our representation. We only collect a fee for our services, if there is a recovery.

Call us today.

Ultra-Processed Foods Lawsuit Updates

May 8, 2026 Update

A lawsuit filed on April 27 in Wisconsin by a Wisconsin woman alleges that the widespread promotion and sale of ultra-processed foods has led to a rise in childhood metabolic diseases and obesity in recent decades.

The lawsuit targets numerous major food corporations responsible for popular food brands the lawsuit claims were marketed to the plaintiff and her parents through her life.

The defendants include:

• Unilever United States Inc.
• Conagra Brands Inc.
• Mars Inc.
• WK Kellogg Co.
• Kellanova
• Nestle USA Inc.
• General Mills Inc.
• PepsiCo Inc.
• The Coca-Cola Company
• Post Holdings Inc.
• Mondelez International Inc.
• Kraft Heinz Company

The lawsuit claims the defendants are responsible for many of the most-consumed foods in the country and have caused a significant threat to the health of children and adults.

The lawsuit alleges the plaintiff was raised on foods such as Pop Tarts, Lunchables, Hot Pockets, Lucky Charms and Cheerios.

The lawsuit states that numerous studies, some by food manufacturers, have shown that ultra-processed foods meet the criteria for psychoactive, addictive products which induce overconsumption and cravings. Internal documents have shown that companies have done research to figure out how to use the foods to “hack” consumers’ brains.

The lawsuit claims that the strategies used to formulate these foods were guided by tobacco company scientists and the same science that was used to increase cigarettes’ addictiveness.

The lawsuit alleges that manufacturers advertised directly to children while using science to make their products addictive, leading to diabetes and obesity rates exploding.

The lawsuit is seeking to hold the defendants liable for the plaintiff’s type 2 diabetes, which she was diagnosed with at 10 years old.

February 20, 2026 Update

A lawsuit was filed on February 12 in Mississippi by a Mississippi mother who alleges that food manufacturers deliberately marketed ultra-processed foods to kids, causing her son to end up with type 2 diabetes at the age of 9.

The lawsuit names the following companies as defendants:

• Mondelez International Inc.
• The Kraft Heinz Company
• The Coca-Cola Company
• Post Holdings Inc.
• General Mills Inc.
• PepsiCo Inc.
• Kellanova
• Nestle USA Inc.
• Mars Incorporated Inc.
• WK Kellogg Co.
• Conagra Brands Inc.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants developed, then aggressively marketed foods with no or little whole food ingredients.

The lawsuit claims that the growing popularity of ultra-processed foods has led to a surge in type 2 diabetes and obesity in children.

According to the complaint, while type 2 diabetes was mostly considered an adult-onset disease prior to 1985, rates in children have dramatically risen, with rates doubling in the U.S. from 2000 to 2017.

The lawsuit claims the boy chronically consumed these foods during his childhood, leading to metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance and chronic inflammation that directly led to type 2 diabetes.

The lawsuit alleges that tobacco companies which bought major food brands applied sensory research and addiction science previously used to make and sell tobacco, engineering food with high levels of salt, fat and sugar to increase dependence and consumption.

The lawsuit claims that the defendants targeted children with campaigns designed to increase the consumption of the foods while not warning about health risks.

January 21, 2026 Update

A lawsuit filed on January 16 in Louisiana alleges that companies such as ConAgra, Mars, Kellogg’s, Nestle, General Mills, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Mondelez and Kraft Heinz intentionally marketed and designed ultra-processed foods in order to hijack the reward system of the brain, particularly regarding vulnerable populations such as children.

The lawsuit alleges that food manufacturers intentionally engineered the foods to encourage the compulsive consumption of them, adopting strategies that Big Tobacco used for a long time to drive addiction to the foods.

The lawsuit claims that the foods are deliberately designed to cause compulsive eating instead of provide nutrition, and that this design contributed to her developing type 2 diabetes.

The lawsuit argues that food makers use carefully balanced blends of additives, fats, salt and sugar to stimulate the reward system of the brain in ways which are similar to substances that are addictive like tobacco.

The lawsuit alleges that internal research that was used to study dependence and addiction was reused to develop foods which promote overconsumption and suppress nature’s fullness cues.

The lawsuit claims this engineering has led to rising rates of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity, especially in those exposed to the foods as children.

The lawsuit argues that the same sensory research and neurological testing that were used to make cigarettes increasingly addictive were used to formulate ultra-processed foods.

The lawsuit accuses the defendants of aggressively marketing the foods to children while publicly framing diseases like type 2 diabetes and obesity as the result of personal choice instead of product design.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants failed to warn the public about the health risks associated with their foods despite having internal knowledge of these risks.

January 14, 2026 Update

Two studies are suggesting that significant health risks are posed by certain preservatives which are widely used and often found in ultra-processed foods.

A study published in The BMJ found that people who consumed larger amounts of some preservatives had a higher risk of developing cancer than those who consumed none or little. Overall cancer and breast cancer saw the strongest links, while some preservatives also saw an association with prostate cancer.

The study involved data on 105,260 people who were aged 15 or older who didn’t have a history of cancer.

A different study published in Nature Communications found that consuming more preservatives may be linked with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The study involved data on over 108,000 adults.

The study found that those who ate more of numerous common preservatives developed type 2 diabetes more commonly.

The researchers said that processed food additives’ safety should get reconsidered, and encouraged people to choose minimally processed, fresh foods whenever it is possible.

January 8, 2026 Update

A study published in eClinicalMedicine is suggesting that black women who have breast cancer and regularly ingested ultra-processed foods prior to diagnosis saw lower survival rates than those who had healthier diets.

The researchers found that black women who consumed over eight servings per day of ultra-processed foods before being diagnosed were 36 to 40 percent more likely to end up dying from their cancer or another cause than those who ingested less than three servings per day.

Processed meats, among the foods studied, shared the strongest association with dying from cancer.

November 20, 2025 Update

A study published in Nutrition and Metabolism found that eating more ultra-processed foods leads to significantly greater chances that young adults will end up developing prediabetes.

The researchers found that when people ate just 10 percent more ultra-processed foods between study visits, they became 51 percent more likely to develop prediabetes and 158 percent more likely to display signs their bodies were having difficulty properly handling sugar.

The study also found that those who ate a lot of ultra-processed foods at the beginning of the study had greater levels of insulin years later. Insulin levels two hours following eating were elevated noticeably, and more total insulin was produced during the test period.

The findings suggest that eating more ultra-processed foods is connected with poor blood sugar control and an elevated risk of developing conditions which can lead to developing type 2 diabetes.

October 10, 2025 Update

A man from Pennsylvania is asking a judge to let him file an ultra-processed foods lawsuit which is amended and updates claims which were dismissed weeks ago.

The lawsuit was originally filed in December 2024 and named food manufacturers such as General Mills, Coca-Cola and Kraft Heinz as defendants. It alleged that these companies marketed unhealthy foods to kids while hiding health risks associated with the foods.

The lawsuit alleged that this caused him to develop an addiction to the foods, leading to childhood diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

In August, a judge dismissed this lawsuit because the lawsuit failed to identify the specific products the man consumed.

The man is now asking for permission to refile the lawsuit, and is indicating that he will provide more information about the specific products he ate as well as how much of them he ate.

The proposed changes to the lawsuit name numerous products, including:

• Kraft House Italian Dressing
• Nature Valley granola bars
• Cheez-its
• Wheat Thins
• Boca Burger

October 3, 2025 Update

A new study is suggesting that addiction to ultra-processed foods is widespread in older adults, especially Generation X.

The researchers found that Gen X adults, who are now in their 50s or early 60s, have significantly higher rates of addiction to ultra-processed foods than those born one or two decades before them.

The researchers found that while 21 percent of women and 10 percent of men in their 50s or 60s were addicted to the foods, only 12 percent of women and four percent of men between the ages of 65 and 80 were.

Women between the ages 50 and 80 who were overweight were over 11 times more likely to be addicted to the foods. Men between those ages who were overweight were 19 times as likely.

Women who reported fair to poor mental health were almost three times as likely, and men were four times more likely, to be addicted to the foods.

Those with fair to poor physical health were three times more likely to be addicted to the foods.

September 18, 2025 Update

A new study found that diets with a lot of ultra-processed foods may negatively impact the reproductive and cardiometabolic health of men.

The researchers found that high consumption of ultra-processed foods was linked with greater weight gain, suggesting that chemicals in these foods may impair the motility and quality of sperm.

The researchers found that men gained around 1 kilogram of extra fat when they went on a three-week diet involving the same amount of calories but ultra-processed foods in place of unprocessed foods.

The researchers found that those on the ultra-processed diet had higher levels of a hormone-disrupting phthalate found in plastics, in addition to lower testosterone levels and lower levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, which is vital for sperm production.

August 28, 2025 Update

An ultra-processed food lawsuit has been dismissed by a federal judge.

The judge found that the claims in the lawsuit were overly vague and broad, lacked a clear connection between a specific brand, ingredient or product and the plaintiff’s injuries, and lacked specific legal grounding.

The lawsuit had been filed in 2024, and alleged that various products sold by major brands such as General Mills, Coca-Cola and Kraft Heinz caused childhood diabetes as well as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

However, the judge found that the claims needed to be significantly narrowed down with additional facts about the plaintiff’s consumption. The judge pointed out that the claim did not include details on what products the plaintiff ate, when the plaintiff ate them, and how much of the products the plaintiff ate.

This is not the end of the ultra-processed food litigation as a whole. However, this decision will significantly impact how ultra-processed food lawsuits will be structured moving forward.

August 1, 2025 Update

A new study has shown that consuming ultra-processed foods at moderate levels can contribute to an increased risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

The researchers found that consumption of processed meat was linked with an 11 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and a seven percent increase in developing colorectal cancer.

They found that beverages sweetened with sugar were linked with an eight percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and a two percent higher risk of developing ischemic heart disease.

Low levels of trans fat intake were linked with at least a three percent increase in heart disease risk.

July 14, 2025 Update

A new study found that diets containing a lot of ultra-processed foods like chips and deli meats might trigger activity in the brain which is linked with high blood pressure.

According to the findings, consumption of too much phosphate, an ingredient which is commonly found in ultra-processed foods, can activate a brain protein associated with high blood pressure.

High blood pressure can increase the risk of stroke or heart attack. Almost half of United States adults have high blood pressure, according to the CDC.

The researchers measured blood pressure, nerve activity and FGF23 protein levels in rats that were given high-phosphate diets. They then compared the results to the results of rats that were given low-phosphate diets.

They found that rats that consumed a lot of phosphate showed higher concentrations of FGF23 protein in their bodies. This elevated protein level activated a nervous system and brain response.

Researchers claim the protein can end up in the brain, where it triggers high blood pressure during both physical activity and rest.

These are concerning findings since most United States adults consume more phosphates than is recommended.

July 8, 2025 Update

A new study found that marketing of ultra-processed foods directed towards young adults and teens significantly impacts their consumption of junk foods.

The study found that the consumption of unhealthy food by young people is largely driven by aggressive marketing by the food industry, including the industry’s use of influencers on social media.

The researchers discovered that marketing of ultra-processed foods coincides with more consumption of the products. They found that social media influencers are particularly playing roles which are increasingly prominent.

The researchers suggested future research in order to reduce the negative impact of marketing unhealthy beverages and food to youth.

June 23, 2025 Update

A new study has found that regular consumption of ultra-processed foods may increase the risk of health problems, even in otherwise healthy adults, by displacing essential micronutrients from peoples’ diets.

The findings indicate that diets which are high in ultra-processed foods commonly lead to lower intakes of vegetables and fruit, leading to higher body mass index, blood pressure and waist circumference, as well as worse cholesterol profiles for most people.

The study investigated the relationship between cardiometabolic risk factors and ultra-processed food consumption in 6,517 citizens of Canada, from 19 years old to 79 years old.

The researchers found that the intake of ultra-processed foods was highest in those with lower education and income. The researchers suggested the following for reducing intake of ultra-processed foods:

• Targeted public health campaigns
• Standardized labeling
• Restrictions on marketing of ultra-processed foods
• Improving affordability and accessibility of whole, more healthy foods

June 15, 2025 Update

There are plans by the federal government to define ultraprocessed foods, a group of drinks, meals and snacks which have become commonplace in the American diet.

Ultraprocessed foods are generally defined by nutrition researchers as products which are industrially manufactured and include ingredients that you would not find in an average kitchen, such as hydrogenated oils or high-fructose corn syrup. The products may also contain emulsifiers, sweeteners or artificial flavors which add consumer appeal and lengthen shelf life.

While crafting a new definition, the federal government may examine foods’ nutritional content, how many ingredients are in foods, or the additives and chemicals put in foods. The new definition could end up shaping school lunch policies, regulating what foods are available through services like food stamps, or shaping United States dietary guidelines.

The FDA is planning on seeking public comment prior to setting the new definition.

The FDA’s commissioner said he expects the definition will encourage companies to label their products as “non-ultraprocessed” in order to entice customers.

Ultraprocessed foods have been increasingly linked by scientists to health issues such as heart issues, type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal issues and cancers.

The deputy commissioner of the food division of the FDA said the agency will consider “obvious areas” like preservatives, emulsifiers and synthetic dyes while crafting the new definition.

May 20, 2025 Update

A new study’s findings indicate that early signs of Parkinson’s disease, like constipation, sleepiness and depression, may appear in those who eat a lot of ultra-processed foods like hot dogs, sodas and potato chips.

The study found that those who eat 11 servings or more every day of ultra-processed foods see 2.5 times the risk of showing three or more early Parkinson’s signs.

The researchers analyzed data involving 42,853 participants who don’t have a history of the disease.

Early Parkinson’s signs included reduced sense of smell, daytime sleepiness, impaired color vision, body pain, depressive symptoms, constipation, certain sleep disorders, and rapid eye movement.

April 13, 2025 Update

A new study found that teenagers who use social media problematically eat less vegetables and fruits and consume more sugary drinks and snacks than their peers.

The findings indicated that social media use which is problematic may be linked to teens consuming more ultra-processed foods.

The study examined data from a health and wellbeing survey which involved teenagers in 45 countries in Europe and North America. The participants’ average age was 13. 50.8 percent of the participants were girls.

The study found that boys who used social media problematically were 54 percent less likely to eat a healthy diet. Girls who used social media problematically were 64 percent less likely to eat a healthy diet.

March 15, 2025 Update

A new study is suggesting that a new labeling system regarding ultra-processed foods, a system which highlights how much exercise is necessary to burn off calories in junk food, might help to reduce how much unhealthy food that young people consume.

The study indicates that English school children are more likely to end up choosing healthy snacks over unhealthy, ultra-processed snacks when labels display how much exercise is necessary to burn off the calories in the snacks.

The study found that schools which utilized such labeling saw every 100 students purchase around 11 fewer biscuits and cakes.

February 28, 2025 Update

A new study has found that about 40 percent of heart disease and stroke cases are linked to ultra-processed foods.

The study found that 43.3% of energy uptake by Canadian adults is in the form of ultra-processed foods, and that the foods are linked to 38 percent of stroke and cardiovascular disease cases in Canada.

The study also found that the highest levels of consumption of ultra-processed foods led to higher risks regarding heart disease.

The study links ultra-processed foods to an estimated 388,654 years of disability or lost life, 17,417 deaths and 96,043 new cardiovascular disease cases per year. The study indicates that over 8,300 deaths and over 45,000 cases of heart disease may be prevented each year if Canadians eat less ultra-processed foods.