Chris van Tulleken, an academic and doctor, has highlighted the dangers of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in the UK diet. In his bestselling book 'Ultra-Processed People', he argues that these industrially engineered products 'hack our brains', disrupting appetite regulation and driving the obesity epidemic. He describes UPFs as 'food that lies to us' due to their additives, emulsifiers, and modified starches that make them softer, saltier, and sweeter than whole foods.
Van Tulleken, who works as an infectious diseases specialist at University College London, has faced pushback from academics whose research is sponsored by multinational food conglomerates. He reveals that these companies have a 'tentacular' influence on regulatory committees. One firm offered him £20,000 for a talk but included a clause forbidding him from disparaging the company 'throughout the universe and in perpetuity', which he refused.
To counter the detrimental effects of UPFs, Van Tulleken recommends two measures: outlawing conflicts of interest on UK scientific and advisory bodies, and creating effective warning labels on food products. He argues that better enforcement of existing regulations is needed to tackle the issue.
