Because of their potential negative impact on health, ultra-processed foods have been a source of concern in the United States and many other countries. Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations with five or more and usually many ingredients, such as sugar, oils, fats, salt, anti-oxidants, stabilizers, preservatives, and so on, that are intended to be convenient, long-lasting, and highly palatable. They frequently contain excessive amounts of added sugars, unhealthy fats, salt, and artificial additives.
According to a new study, the United States lags behind countries such as Belgium, Brazil, and Israel in terms of ultra-processed food policies.
Ultra-processed foods, which include industrially produced packaged snacks, fruit-flavored drinks, and hot dogs, have been linked to a variety of health problems ranging from weight gain to cancer. So, where are food policies assisting Americans in avoiding these foods?
According to a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the United States lags behind countries such as Belgium, Brazil, and Israel in terms of ultra-processed food policies.
While ultra-processed foods have been directly integrated into national dietary guidelines and school food programs in some countries, few policies directly target ultra-processed foods in the United States.
Jennifer Pomeranz
“While ultra-processed foods have been directly integrated into national dietary guidelines and school food programs in some countries, few policies directly target ultra-processed foods in the United States,” said Jennifer Pomeranz, associate professor of public health policy and management at NYU School of Global Public Health and the study’s first author.
Following decades of focusing on single nutrients such as protein, fat, and carbohydrates in nutrition science and food policy, a growing body of evidence indicates that dietary quality is more than just nutrients.
“It’s clear that the extent of processing of a food can influence its health effects, independent of its food ingredients or nutrient contents. Ultra-processed foods generally contain ‘acellular nutrients’ – nutrients lacking any of the natural intact food structure of the source ingredient – and other industrial ingredients and additives that together can increase risk of weight gain, diabetes, and other chronic diseases,” said study co-author Dariush Mozaffarian, the Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts.
Only a few countries regulate ultra-processed foods directly, but those that do have limited their consumption in schools and recommend eating less ultra-processed food in dietary guidelines. The United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which guide the country’s food and nutrition policies, currently do not mention ultra-processed food. The scientific advisory committee for the 2025-2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines, on the other hand, has been tasked with evaluating research on the consumption of ultra-processed foods as it relates to weight gain.
The researchers gathered all federal and state statutes, bills, resolutions, regulations, proposed rules, and Congressional Research Services reports related to “highly processed” and “ultra-processed” food to understand how policymakers in the United States have already addressed ultra-processed foods in policies.
They found only 25 policies proposed or passed between 1983 and 2022, eight at the federal level and 17 at the state level. The vast majority were proposed or passed since 2011, indicating that ultra-processed food policy in the United States is relatively new.
The policies of the United States on ultra-processed foods frequently mention them as being harmful to healthy diets. The majority of policies concerned children’s healthy eating, such as limiting ultra-processed foods in schools and teaching children about nutrition. Another recurring theme was the higher cost of healthy foods versus ultra-processed foods. Only one policy (a Massachusetts school food bill) defined ultra-processed foods, while three others attempted to address the broader food environment by incentivizing small retailers to stock healthy foods.
“The emerging policy language in the U.S. on ultra-processed foods is consistent with international policies on the topic. We would urge a more robust discussion and consideration of ultra-processed foods for future policymaking,” added Pomeranz. “The United States should consider processing levels in school food policies – especially to update the ‘Smart Snack’ rules — and to ensure the U.S. Dietary Guidelines reflect the evidence on ultra-processed foods and health.”
