Americans view ultraprocessed foods as addictive and harmful

Across partisan lines, Americans broadly believe ultraprocessed foods are addictive and harmful – expressing attitudes strikingly like those that spurred regulation of the tobacco industry, new Cornell University-led research finds.

Surveying a nationally representative sample of 2,000 U.S. adults, the research provides the first comprehensive assessment of American understanding of ultraprocessed foods – such as sugary drinks, processed meats and prepackaged baked goods – that make up a majority of the calories Americans consume.

More than 60% of survey respondents agreed that such foods are addictive and major causes of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Respondents perceived the health risks as less serious than cigarettes but roughly equivalent to alcohol and worse than fast food or cannabis.

Respondents across political party affiliation also broadly supported various public policies that could reduce consumption of ultraprocessed foods. The results point to an unusual bipartisan consensus in public health that aligns with mounting scientific evidence, the researchers said – a potential catalyst for legal and policy action.

Ultraprocessed foods have entered public consciousness as a major health hazard. The convergence of public belief, bipartisan support and scientific evidence creates a critical window for policy action. Americans appear ready for stronger safeguards and holding the food industry accountable, ranging from additive testing to marketing restrictions."

 Jeff Niederdeppe, professor of communication

Niederdeppe is the first author of the new paper published June 3 in a special issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

Perhaps the most significant finding, the researchers said, was the degree of bipartisan agreement. In prior debates about polices related to obesity and soda taxes, conservatives have tended to cite concerns about personal freedom or paternalism. The public now appears to believe that corporate strategies – not just individual willpower – shape dietary choices, the researchers said.

"Public health issues have become increasingly polarized in the United States," said Niederdeppe, who is also associate director of the Cornell Health Policy Center. "Our results show that ultraprocessed foods are breaking through ideological barriers. This suggests there may be a durable foundation for policy change."

The researchers said parallels to tobacco control are striking. In that case, industry deception, marketing to children and a growing chronic disease burden shifted public opinion that proved critical to reform.

"A similar shift in narrative seems poised to accelerate momentum for reform around ultraprocessed foods," the researchers wrote. "Ultimately, results suggest that the American public is not a barrier to progress – it may be the catalyst."

The research was funded by the Dohmen Company Foundation, a private foundation whose mission is to fight diet-related disease.