Ultra-processed foods leading cause of ‘chronic disease pandemic’, say experts

The authors of a new report are accusing major food corporations of engaging in “co-ordinated efforts to skew decision-making, shape policy debates in their favour, and create the illusion of scientific uncertainty.”

Wednesday 19 November 2025 

Experts have issued a strong warning that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are driving a “chronic disease pandemic” as global diets continue to worsen.

UPFs include products such as processed meats, certain ready meals and cereals, ice cream, crisps, biscuits, mass-produced bread and sugary fizzy drinks. These foods typically contain high levels of saturated fats, salt, and sugar, along with additives like sweeteners and preservatives.

Not only do they displace more nutritious options from people’s diets, but they are also believed to impair gut health.

A coalition of 43 scientists and researchers has now raised the alarm, accusing food companies of prioritising “profitability above all else.”

In their piece for The Lancet, the authors argue that the economic and political influence of these companies is growing rapidly, while global public health responses remain limited — “similar to where the tobacco control movement was decades ago.”

They further warn that although some nations have introduced regulations on UPFs, progress remains slow due to “co-ordinated industry efforts to influence policy, dominate public debate, and fabricate scientific doubt.”

Professor Chris Van Tulleken of University College London, one of the report’s contributors, noted that rising obesity rates and diet-related illnesses mirror “a three-decade trajectory of food industry reformulation.”

“This is not just about individual products,” he emphasized. “The entire diet is being ultra-processed.”