Ultra-processed foods should be treated more like cigarettes than food, new study suggests

UPFs are made to encourage addiction and consumption and should be regulated like tobacco, say researchers

There are similarities in the production processes of UPFs and cigarettes, according to the paper from researchers. Picture: iStock

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have more in common with cigarettes than with fruit or vegetables, and require far tighter regulation, according to a new report.

UPFs and cigarettes are engineered to encourage addiction and consumption, researchers from three US universities said, pointing to the parallels in widespread health harms that link both.