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A recent study in The Milbank Quarterly, authored by researchers from Harvard, the University of Michigan, and Duke University, contends that ultra-processed foods (UPFs)—including sodas, chips, candies, frozen pizzas, and packaged snacks—resemble cigarettes far more closely than they do minimally processed foods like fresh fruits or vegetables.
A recent study in The Milbank Quarterly, authored by researchers from Harvard, the University of Michigan, and Duke University, contends that ultra-processed foods (UPFs)—including sodas, chips, candies, frozen pizzas, and packaged snacks—resemble cigarettes far more closely than they do minimally processed foods like fresh fruits or vegetables.The authors point out that both cigarettes and UPFs are deliberately engineered by industry to encourage maximum consumption and promote compulsive patterns of use. Producers carefully fine-tune the “dose” of addictive or reinforcing elements—nicotine in the case of tobacco, and specific blends of refined carbs, fats, and additives in UPFs—to swiftly activate the brain’s reward circuits. This process triggers intense cravings, excessive intake, and habitual behavior that overrides the body’s natural hunger and satiety signals.The similarities also appear in manufacturing methods: raw ingredients undergo heavy industrial processing to create hyper-palatable products optimized for fast, frequent consumption. Marketing approaches further echo those historically employed by the tobacco industry, such as “health halo” claims like “low fat,” “sugar free,” or “high protein.” These labels foster misleading impressions of healthfulness, similar to the past marketing of “light” or “low-tar” cigarettes that provided minimal genuine benefits. Such tactics help manufacturers avoid stricter oversight and postpone meaningful regulation, all while contributing to extensive public health damage.UPFs have been strongly associated with major health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, mental health disorders, and earlier mortality. The study authors argue that UPFs satisfy key scientific criteria for addictive potential, although their harmful effects remain significant even without formally classifying them as addictive substances.Unlike tobacco, food is a necessity for life, which makes completely avoiding the modern food environment extremely difficult and highlights the pressing need for effective interventions.
