NEW YORK – That bag of crisps or the bottle of soda in your hand might be more than just a “guilty pleasure”, it could be a highly engineered addiction. Ultra-processed food health risks are drawing global alarm after a groundbreaking study by researchers from Harvard University, University of Michigan, and Duke University warned that many junk foods are deliberately engineered to drive addiction and compulsive consumption in ways strikingly similar to cigarettes.
Public health experts say ultra-processed food health risks are no longer a theoretical concern but a measurable driver of obesity, diabetes and heart disease across both developed and developing countries.
The report, published on February 3 in the healthcare journal The Milbank Quarterly, warns that the global food industry is using the same “playbook” once used by Big Tobacco to hook consumers on products that are systematically destroying public health.
The Science of “Hooking” the Consumer
The report points out the chilling parallel between the design of cigarettes, which are meant to give a quick fix of nicotine to the brain, and the design of UPFs, which are meant to activate the reward centers of the body with carefully calibrated “doses” of sugar, salt, and fat.
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Professor Ashley Gearhardt, a clinical psychologist and addiction expert at the University of Michigan, pointed out the fact that the problem of quitting junk food is the same problem that people who smoke face.
Researchers say ultra-processed food health risks extend beyond poor nutrition, arguing that these products are designed to overstimulate the brain’s reward system, making moderation extremely difficult for consumers.
“Patients will tell me, ‘I feel like I’m addicted to this stuff. I used to smoke cigarettes, and now I have the same habit, but with soda and doughnuts,'” Gearhardt said. “They know it’s killing them; they want to quit, but they can’t.”
“Health Washing”: The Great Deception
For Pakistani consumers, who are increasingly seeing “Low Fat,” “Sugar-Free,” or “Fortified with Vitamins” labels on snack packaging, the study offers a stern warning. Researchers call this “health washing.” This tactic is being compared to the 1950s marketing of cigarette filters, which were advertised as a “protective innovation” but offered no real health benefit. These labels often mask the high levels of emulsifiers, artificial colorings, and flavors that define UPFs.
The study argues that ultra-processed food health risks stem from deliberate industrial design, where sugar, salt and fat are carefully balanced to maximise craving rather than nutrition. Researchers say this makes it extremely difficult for consumers to regulate intake on their own.
A Crisis for Pakistan’s Health System
The findings are particularly alarming for Pakistan, a country currently grappling with some of the world’s highest rates of Type 2 diabetes and obesity. With a food market flooded with cheap, unregulated snacks and sugary drinks, the “individual responsibility” narrative is failing.
Experts argue that in a “modern food environment” where fresh fruits and vegetables are often more expensive or less accessible than a packet of biscuits, opting out of UPFs is nearly impossible for the average citizen.
Shifting the Blame: From People to Producers
The study suggests that it is time to stop blaming individuals for “poor choices” and start holding the food industry accountable. Proposed interventions include:
Marketing Restrictions: Limiting ads that target children.
Structural Interventions: Increasing taxes on high-UPF products.
Clearer Warning Labels: Moving beyond confusing “nutritional facts” to bold front-of-pack warnings.
As evidence mounts, policymakers are increasingly acknowledging that ultra-processed food health risks require stronger regulation similar to tobacco controls rather than voluntary industry guidelines.
The Counter-Argument: Is it “Overreach”?
Not all scientists are convinced of the tobacco comparison. Professor Martin Warren of the Quadram Institute suggests that unlike nicotine, which is pharmacologically addictive, UPFs might just be exploiting “learned preferences” and convenience. He warns that the focus should remain on improving dietary quality rather than just treating food like a drug.
However, for public health advocates such as Dr. Githinji Gitahi, the warning is stark. He cautions that without strong, publicly led interventions, health systems could face collapse. Experts further warn that ultra-processed food health risks are already placing unsustainable pressure on national healthcare systems a threat that is especially acute for countries like Pakistan, where non-communicable diseases are rising rapidly.
