\u201cWe agree with the Lancet series that our food system \u2014 and the influence of food industry corporations \u2014 is the root of the chronic disease crisis facing our country. Mass-market foods high in refined carbohydrates and added sugars have displaced whole, nutrient-rich foods and Americans are paying the price with their health,\u201d says Dr. Bret Scher, medical director at the US-based Coalition for Metabolic Health.<\/p>\n \u201cSome policy ideas raised in the Lancet series could be powerful when aligned with metabolic science. Front-of-package warnings \u2014 aimed specifically at refined carbs \u2014 could help consumers make healthier choices. Updating US dietary guidelines to limit the intake of refined carbs and encourage a broader range of whole foods would significantly improve the nutritional quality of school meals and other public food programs.\u201d<\/p>\n Weight on the Nova system<\/p>\n The Coalition for Metabolic Health also challenges The Lancet\u2019s UPF warning.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere the Lancet\u00a0series falls short is in the framework it uses to identify UPFs. It puts enormous weight on the Nova classification system, which sorts foods by the extent of industrial processing rather than by what directly affects health \u2014 how foods impact blood sugar, insulin, weight gain, and long-term metabolic function,\u201d says Scher.<\/p>\n He argues that while food processing plays a role, it alone does not determine health outcomes. \u201cThe strongest clinical evidence points to refined carbs and added sugars \u2014 staples of many UPFs \u2014 as the true drivers of obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNova can be a helpful starting point, but it needs substantial refinement before it should be used to guide food policy,\u201d Scher underscores. \u201cFor instance, Nova can misclassify foods in ways that mislead consumers and policymakers. A homemade brownie, which can be just as harmful to health as a packaged dessert, avoids the ultra-processed label under Nova. Meanwhile, sparkling water is designated as ultra-processed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNutrition guidance should be grounded in robust clinical science, not oversimplified frameworks that can lump together foods with very different effects on metabolic health. A more impactful and evidence-based approach would focus on refined carbs and added sugars.\u201d<\/p>\n The British Nutrition Foundation echoes this statement, commenting: \u201cWhile research continues, we believe action could be focused on reducing consumption of foods that are high in fat, salt, and sugar\u2026until we understand more about mechanisms behind the associations between UPFs and health outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Lancet series is critical of the global food industry. We work in collaboration with the food industry, because we believe that working with transparency, integrity, and scientific evidence with the people who make and sell our food is an effective translatable route to sustainable positive change in the food environment at scale and at pace.\u201d<\/p>\n In August, the American Heart Association similarly stressed<\/a> that guidelines should focus more on discouraging consumers against nutrient-poor UPFs rather than promoting blanket restrictions for all of these foods.<\/p>\n Three-part series summary<\/p>\n The Lancet\u00a0series urges government action to reduce UPF consumption, while envisioning a food system that emphasizes local food producers, preserves cultural foods, and economically benefits communities.<\/p>\n The three papers also point to a growing body of evidence about the global increase in \u201cdeteriorating\u201d diets high in these foods and confirm their link with many non-communicable diseases<\/a>.<\/p>\n The first paper<\/a> in the three-part Lancet series, uses reviews and analyses to assess three hypotheses about UPFs. It flags evidence that UPFs have displaced long-established dietary patterns and are escalating the global burden of multiple diet-related chronic diseases.<\/p>\n The\u00a0second paper<\/a> proposes government policies to halt the global rise of UPFs, which the authors argue are displacing healthier diets and causing poor health outcomes. Current policies, largely focused on reducing fat, sugar, and sodium \u2014 still high among products marketed as \u201chealthy\u201d<\/a> \u2014 must be strengthened and expanded across four key domains: UPFs, food environments, manufacturers\/retailers, and supply chains.<\/p>\n At the same time, the authors examine measures to protect and incentivize diets based on fresh foods, particularly for low-income households. They emphasize that all countries must tailor their policy priorities to their specific national circumstances.<\/p>\n![\"arrow\"](\"https:\/\/resource.innovamarketinsights360.com\/fif\/banners\/c8507d69-8c76-407c-94e5-c69243dc787e.webp\" "\\"arrow\\"")
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