Lancet series on ultra-processed foods

The Lancet Series on ultra-processed foods and human health has been launched today. The authors argue that, although additional studies on the impact of ultra-processed foods on human health will be valuable, further research should not delay public health action to tackle ultra-processed foods and improve diets globally.

There is a large body of observational evidence linking diets high in foods classified as ultra-processed with a range of poor health outcomes.

We agree that urgent action is needed and that policy action to improve diets should not wait for further research - the impact of poor diets on health is clear and must be addressed.  However, while research continues, we believe action could be focused on reducing consumption of foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) and encouraging consumption of the foods and nutrients we want people to consume more of, until we understand more about mechanisms behind the associations between ultra-processed foods and health outcomes.

We support action from Government and other stakeholders to improve diet quality and address the obesogenic food environment. It is essential that any policy implemented is equitable, particularly for underserved groups, and promotes a healthy diet for all.

UK policy levers to reduce consumption of high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) foods include the soft drinks industry levy and restrictions on the promotion of HFSS foods and drinks in store and online. Further work is being done by the Government as part of the UK Food strategy to set a healthy food standard for retailers alongside mandatory reporting of healthier sales, recognising that it is the food environment rather than only individual choices that need to change in order to improve diet-related health.

The Lancet series is critical of the global food industry. We work in collaboration with the food industry, because we believe that working with transparency, integrity and scientific evidence with the people who make and sell our food is an effective translatable route to sustainable positive change in the food environment at scale and at pace.

For example, over the past year we have worked with major UK retailers to support the development of healthier food ranges and to provide £4million worth of free fruit and vegetables to schools in areas of extra need.

As a nutrition charity working with the food industry, we have robust safeguards in place through our Governance to ensure we remain impartial. Our Board of Trustees includes some of the UK’s leading professors of nutrition as well as people from education, communications, HR and finance backgrounds. Our Advisory and Scientific Committees also comprise expert scientists who advise us on external issues and on interpretation and translation of scientific evidence. Our scientific reviews are peer reviewed and publicly available through our journal Nutrition Bulletin.

Research continues on the mechanisms behind the associations between ultra-processed foods and ill health that the Lancet series highlights but the mechanisms suggested include:

• High levels of fat, saturates, salt and sugar in many ultra-processed foods, where we have an existing body of evidence demonstrating links between high consumption and ill-health.
• Higher energy density, palatability and eating rates encouraging overconsumption of ultra-processed foods have been put forward as mechanisms and work is ongoing to investigate these further.
• There are also potential issues in the wider food environment, including marketing and promotion, low cost in comparison to foods promoted as part of a healthier dietary pattern (for example, fruits and vegetables) and widespread availability and accessibility of ultra-processed foods in the food environment.

The Government has committed to supporting more research on ultra-processed foods and the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition continues to maintain a watching brief on processed foods and health.