A new issue of the American Journal of Public Health highlights parallels between marketing strategies for cigarettes and ultra-processed foods (UPFs), revealing that tobacco companies applied their cigarette playbook to sell products like Lunchables to children.
Research published in the journal shows that UPFs are linked to cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, and cognitive decline. Cindy Leung, a public health nutrition professor at Harvard, reported that people with high UPF intake had a 58% higher risk of developing dementia, a 46% higher risk of mild cognitive impairment, and a 47% higher risk of either outcome, based on observational studies.
The issue builds on a Milbank Quarterly study describing how tobacco firms like RJ Reynolds and Philip Morris used strategies such as optimizing carbohydrate and fat formulations for rapid delivery and maximizing 'hedonic impact' to drive excess consumption. Tera Fazzino, a psychology professor at the University of Kansas, examined over 100 secret industry documents and found that tobacco companies repeated these tactics for food products, including developing 'light' and 'reduced-fat' UPFs to retain health-conscious customers.
Laura Schmidt, a health policy professor at UC San Francisco, noted that Philip Morris acquired Kraft in 1988 and launched Lunchables nationally shortly after. Product designers used 'consumer-driven product development' to tap into children's desire for independence and play.
Marion Nestle, a nutritionist and public health professor emerita at New York University, praised the 'Make America healthy again' movement for drawing attention to UPFs but cautioned that it is more feelings-based than science-based. Lindsey Smith Taillie, a nutrition professor at the University of North Carolina, credited the movement for shifting blame from personal responsibility to the food industry. However, Nestle criticised the Trump administration for policy changes that exacerbate the problem, such as failing to redirect corn subsidies towards whole fruits and vegetables.
