Turns out, junk food lives up to the name.
What’s happening: A review in Endocrinology found overwhelming evidence that ultra-processed foods promote overeating and increase risk for obesity.
Researchers point to UPFs’ texture, calorie density, and hyperpalatability for hijacking natural hunger cues while also disrupting absorption, blood sugar, and the gut microbiome.
In the open. The authors didn’t hold back, urging immediate public health action. A vital intervention, new findings suggest diet plays a 10x greater role than inactivity in the obesity epidemic.
But the odds are stacked against eaters. Nearly 70% of the US food supply is ultra-processed, meaning industrially formulated, additive-laden options are the norm.
Fixing. Hungry for change, three-quarters of Americans believe UPFs harm their physical and mental health, but only 11% can confidently identify them.
Complicating matters, half believe they’re addicted, with 60% having failed to cut back.
Policy efforts, like taxes and marketing restrictions, could help clean up Big Food. But real change may require education, personalized off-ramps, and a renewed connection to whole foods.
Punchline: Lost in the GLP-1 discussion, there’s little focus on preventing weight gain in the first place. While obesity is a multifactorial disease, addressing a root cause shouldn’t be controversial.
