The Lancet recently published a three-part series that places global attention on the rising spread of ultraprocessed foods (UPF) and their impact on contemporary societies. The work, authored by 43 international experts, analyzes systematically how these industrial products are replacing fresh foods in the diets of many countries, with implications for health, culinary culture, and production systems.
Among the researchers involved is a scientist from IRCCS Neuromed, an Italian institute long committed to the study of nutritional epidemiology.
A Change That Reshapes Health and Lifestyles
The authors point out that UPFs, defined by refined ingredients, additives, and highly industrialized production techniques, are progressively replacing homemade preparations and traditional foods.
According to the studies, this process concerns not only nutritional quality but also social and cultural dimensions of food: cooking practices, sociability, and community identities are eroded in favor of standardized, fast, and deeply disconnect from local traditions products.
The researchers also note that the expansion of UPF is sustained by powerful marketing strategies and by a food system that prioritizes low production cost and high profitability.
The Role of Integrative Medicine
Integrative Medicine offers a valuable perspective in understanding and addressing the impact of ultraprocessed foods. This approach, which blends scientific evidence with a holistic view of health, emphasizes that nutrition is not merely a set of nutrients, but a complex act that involves the body, mind, and environment.
In this light, reducing UPFs is not only about preventing chronic diseases, but also about promoting overall well-being: from the quality of the gut microbiota to stress regulation, up to rebuilding healthy relationships with food and with the land.
Global Policies and Exemplary Models
The Lancet series invites governments and institutions to develop bold and coordinated policies. A positive example comes from Brazil, where in the national school meals program UPFs have nearly disappeared, replaced by fresh or minimally transformed ingredients.
Experts propose interventions to facilitate access to healthy foods, especially for low-income families, and regulations that limit the pressure of the food industry on political and commercial decisions.
Towards More Sustainable Food Systems
Addressing the issue of ultraprocessed foods means rethinking the global food system. This entails protecting culinary traditions, promoting local supply chains, supporting food education, and valuing scientific research as a guide for public decision-making.
The Lancet series thus represents an urgent appeal: to build a future in which food, in its nutritional, cultural, and environmental dimensions, once again serves as a pillar of public health and sustainability.
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