Ultra-processed Food & Health
Context:
Published on November 18, 2025, a three-paper Series in The Lancet examines the global rise of ultra-processed foods in diets and their link to non-communicable diseases, emphasizing the need for coordinated policies to prioritize public health over corporate profits and to enhance access to fresh, minimally processed foods.
Members of the media may directly contact the following experts:
Yoni Freedhoff (English only)
Medical Director, Bariatric Medical Institute; & Assistant professor, Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
Professor Freedhoff’s research focuses on nutrition and obesity.
"When considering how to combat the negative impact of ultra-processed foods on health, it’s crucial to remember that the food industry is neither friend, nor foe, nor partner but rather is beholden to a fiduciary duty to profit. Absent regulating the industry, if looking for change, finding changes that would be profitable would consequently be key to their implementation."
Melissa Fernandez(English and French)
Assistant Professor, School of Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences
Professor Fernandez’s research focuses on understanding the impacts of digital food environments on health and nutrition with a particular interest in food literacy, eating practices, dietary intakes, and mental health.
"It shouldn’t come as a surprise that diets high in ultra-processed foods are associated with poor health outcomes. These foods meet consumer demand for convenience but offer little in terms of nutritional benefits. Even though I know professionally, and believe personally, that high UPF intake is detrimental to overall health, the real challenge lies in identifying alternatives that can replace UPFs while remaining just as convenient, accessible, affordable, and acceptable to consumers."
Gary Goldfield (English only)
Professor, Department of Pediatrics, and School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine
Dr. Goldfield’s main research areas focus on the role that physical activity, screen time, biological and psychosocial factors play in the regulation of eating behaviour, body weight, and mental health among children and youth.
"Government can't afford not to take a strong stance against ultra-processed food manufacturing, availability, and marketing, especially in our most vulnerable populations who also tend to be among the highest consumers, such as children and adolescents. The personal, societal, and economic costs of ultra-processed food consumption on health are just too steep."
Ezgi Pulatsu (English only)
Assistant Professor, School of Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences
Professor Pulatsu's research expertise spans food science, food biophysics and food process engineering, with a particular focus on additive manufacturing and material characterization.
"The term “ultra-processed” is commonly misinterpreted/misused, as any step in the preparation of a particular food is considered “processing”, even washing, slicing, and peeling, and therefore we need to focus on the nutritional values and metabolic implications of consuming foods."