A recent review by researchers at Harvard, Duke, and the University of Michigan argues that ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) can function like highly engineered delivery systems—similar in key ways to cigarettes—and may be addictive for a meaningful minority of people. The team synthesized evidence from addiction science, public health history, and nutrition to identify features that increase the reinforcing potential of both tobacco and UPFs.
What are ultraprocessed foods?
There is no single universal definition, but many researchers use the NOVA classification, which describes UPFs as formulations of ingredients mostly of industrial use created by a series of industrial techniques. UPFs often contain additives and emulsifiers you wouldn’t find in a typical kitchen. A 2023 study estimated that over 73% of foods in the United States are ultraprocessed.
Why they may be addictive
The review highlights five features that make UPFs especially reinforcing:
– Delivery speed: UPFs are engineered to digest and absorb rapidly (they typically lack fiber), accelerating the delivery of fats and refined carbohydrates to the body and brain.
– Hedonic engineering: Foods are designed for intense, transient flavor bursts and textures that “melt” in the mouth, maximizing immediate pleasure.
– Dose optimization: Ingredient combinations—especially refined carbs plus added fats—are tuned to produce maximal reward; this combination is rare in nature.
– Environmental ubiquity: UPFs are widely available and heavily marketed, increasing exposure and consumption.
– Deceptive reformulation (health washing): Labels like “low fat” or “sugar-free” can create an illusion of reduced harm while preserving addictive qualities.
Biological mechanisms
Refined carbohydrates can stimulate dopamine release via the vagus nerve, while fats activate intestinal lipid-sensing pathways—both contributing to reward. The rapid absorption of UPFs amplifies these effects in ways comparable to how cigarettes are engineered to deliver nicotine quickly. The result for some people is classic addiction-like behavior: strong cravings, loss of control, and continued use despite harm.
Industry parallels with tobacco
The review notes historical and strategic parallels with the tobacco industry. Tobacco companies promoted filters and other changes as “safer” while preserving nicotine’s addictive potential; consumers often compensated by smoking more or inhaling deeper. The food industry similarly markets reformulated UPFs with health-focused labels even when the products retain the same reinforcing ingredient structures.
Public health and policy implications
The authors emphasize that food and tobacco are not identical, but argue that some UPFs function more like optimized consumables than traditional foods and warrant policy responses inspired by tobacco control. Suggested measures include:
– Restrictions on marketing, especially to children
– Clear front-of-package labeling that indicates ultraprocessing
– Tighter standards on health claims and deceptive reformulation
– Limits on UPFs in schools and hospitals
– Taxes on nutrient-poor UPFs
– Legal action against misleading claims
– Policies to promote access to minimally processed foods
Experts’ views
Mir Ali, MD, a bariatric surgeon, said UPFs are engineered to be highly appealing and agreed with the study’s conclusions. Preventive cardiology dietitian Michelle Routhenstein noted that not everyone becomes “addicted,” but for many these foods trigger addiction-like patterns. She recommended tobacco-inspired policies—marketing limits, clearer labeling, and reduced UPFs in institutions—while also expanding access to fresh, minimally processed foods through subsidies, support for local markets, and school or workplace programs.
Practical distinctions and tips
Not all processed foods are equal. Minimally processed foods (e.g., pasteurized milk, frozen vegetables, fermented foods) are altered only to preserve safety, storage, or convenience and generally carry lower risk than UPFs.
Signs a product may be ultraprocessed:
– Long ingredient lists with unfamiliar items (emulsifiers like soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides)
– Multiple forms of added sugar
– Artificial flavors or colors
– Isolated starches or protein isolates
Advice for individuals:
– Treat UPFs as optional rather than daily staples, especially sugary drinks, packaged sweets, chips, fast food, and heavily processed frozen meals.
– Make minimally processed foods the convenient default and build meals around fiber-rich carbohydrates, quality protein, and healthy fats to improve satiety and blunt cravings.
– Simple swaps include sparkling water for soda, fruit and nuts for candy, oats or plain yogurt for sweetened cereals, and batch-cooked meals for frozen entrees.
Conclusion
The review calls for public health policies that confront UPFs with seriousness akin to past tobacco control efforts while promoting real, minimally processed food. Such measures—combined with improved access to affordable fresh foods—could reduce reliance on UPFs and address structural drivers of unhealthy eating.
