New research appearing in The Milbank Quarterly, produced by teams including scholars at the University of Michigan, Harvard and Duke, argues that many ultraprocessed products share important qualities with tobacco. Drawing on addiction science, nutrition research and the history of tobacco regulation, the analysis finds that packaged snacks, sugary beverages, ready-to-eat meals and many fast foods can be industrially engineered to amplify reward in the brain, encourage habitual use and shape public perception in ways that protect company profits.
Study first author Ashley Gearhardt, a University of Michigan professor of clinical psychology, notes that certain snacks can feel unusually hard to put down. She is careful to say the takeaway is not that eating is the same as smoking. Rather, the study highlights how design choices in production and marketing can make moderation more difficult for many people.
The authors call for a change in public health thinking. For decades messages emphasized personal responsibility, but the paper urges a focus on larger systems — what appears on shelves, what is affordable and what is heavily marketed — and suggests food policy could follow tobacco policy by moving from blaming individuals to holding companies accountable. The research was reported by the University of Michigan and appeared on Futurity.
Difficult words
- ultraprocessed — heavily industrially manufactured and highly processed food
- amplify — make a feeling or effect stronger
- habitual — done regularly and without much thought
- moderation — controlled or limited amount of something
- accountable — required to explain actions and accept responsibility
- engineer — design or build something for a specific purposeengineered
- perception — the way people understand or interpret something
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think food policy should follow tobacco policy by holding companies accountable? Why or why not?
- How might industrial design and marketing of ultraprocessed foods affect people's everyday choices? Give examples.
- What public health measures could make moderation of packaged snacks and sugary drinks easier for consumers?
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