A new study says ultra-processed foods are just as bad for you as cigarettes

Thekabarnews.com—Researchers from Harvard, Michigan, and Duke University have written a new paper. It says ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may have some harmful traits in common with cigarettes and may need stricter rules.

Both drugs aim to induce excessive use and subsequent relapse, according to the researchers. The paper also says that ultra-processed foods use carefully measured amounts of sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, and chemicals to make the brain’s reward system work. This effect is similar to how nicotine functions in tobacco products.

The study shows that things come together in the same way. Food companies pay attention to how it feels and how strong its flavor is. They also consider how quickly it gets into the body so that it works quickly on the body’s reward pathways.

Also, tobacco companies have changed the way they give people nicotine to make them more addicted. Researchers believe that these business practices raise concerns about the extent to which companies are attempting to influence people’s behavior.

People eat a lot of ultra-processed foods, such as sugary drinks, packaged snacks, chips, cookies, and meals that are already cooked. Factories make many of these items. These products contain things not usually found in home kitchens.

Professor Ashley Gearhardt, one of the report’s authors, said that the public debate about UPFs is like what happens in addiction science. 

“We blame people first and tell them to eat less. We are starting to understand how the way businesses work affects behavior and makes it more likely that people will eat too much over time,” she said. 

Public health experts link the rise in obesity, diabetes, and heart disease worldwide to the consumption of ultra-processed foods. Some experts do not think that UPFs fit the exact clinical definition of addiction. The report says stricter rules should be made for labeling, marketing, and teaching them.

The researchers want to make it clear that they don’t want to get rid of all the easy meals. Rather, they aim to demonstrate how the manufacturing process alters people’s eating habits.

The report makes the ongoing talks about food regulation, consumer protection, and corporate responsibility even more important. This happens as governments around the world deal with health issues related to diet.