Ultra Processed Foods – HowToCookThat : Cakes, Dessert & Chocolate

Buckle up—this one’s a biggie. A 16-year-old, Bryce Martinez, is suing ultra-processed food companies after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disorder. His claim? These companies—some linked to Big Tobacco, no less—designed their food to be addictive and then marketed it straight to kids.

But can he actually win? There are new stories, books and TED Talks stating this arguement, but is it enough to hold up in court?

Some episodes take a bit of digging to get to the truth. This one? Massive. The lawsuit alone is 150 pages, plus a mountain of studies. Lucky for you, I did all the reading — so let’s dive in!

References:

‌Aramburu, A., Giancarlo Alvarado-Gamarra, Cornejo, R., Curi-Quinto, K., Carmen, Rojas-Limache, G. and Lanata, C.F. (2024). Ultra-processed foods consumption and health-related outcomes: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1421728.
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Brightlineeating.com. (2023). Limitations of the NOVA Processed Foods Classification System. [online] Available at: https://www.brightlineeating.com/podcasts/bright-line-living-the-official-bright-line-eating-podcast/episodes/2147908472 [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].

Conley, M. (2024). Some ultra-processed foods are as addictive as cigarettes and cocaine. [online] U.S. Right to Know. Available at: https://usrtk.org/ultra-processed-foods/addictive/.

Desilver, D. (2016). What’s on your table? How America’s diet has changed over the decades. Pew Research Center. pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/12/13/whats-on-your-table-how-americas-diet-has-changed-over-the-decades/.

‌Elizabeth, L., Machado, P., Zinöcker, M., Baker, P. and Lawrence, M. (2020). Ultra-Processed Foods and Health Outcomes: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, [online] 12(7). doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12071955.

Falconer, R. (2024). Food firms sued for allegedly marketing ‘addictive’ products to kids. [online] Axios. Available at: https://www.axios.com/2024/12/11/food-companies-sued-addictive-kids-marketing-lawsuit-claim [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].

Fei Chen; Ke Huang; Qi Long; Ming Ma; Ting Zhang; Guanping Dong; Wei Wu; Yan Ni; Chi-chung Hui; Junfen Fu‌ 2022 Comparative dietary effectiveness of a modified government-recommended diet with avoidance of ultra-processed foods on weight and metabolic management in children and adolescents: An open-label, randomized study, Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 31, No. 2, Jun 2022, 282-293

‌Gibney, M.J. (2018). Ultra-Processed Foods: Definitions and Policy Issues. Current Developments in Nutrition, [online] 3(2). doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzy077.

Hall, K.D., Ayuketah, A., Brychta, R., Cai, H., Cassimatis, T., Chen, K.Y., Chung, S.T., Costa, E., Courville, A., Darcey, V., Fletcher, L.A., Forde, C.G., Gharib, A.M., Guo, J., Howard, R., Joseph, P.V., McGehee, S., Ouwerkerk, R., Raisinger, K. and Rozga, I. (2019). Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake. Cell Metabolism

‌Internet Archive. (2020). Deposition of FRANK PAUL GULLOTTA, Ph.D., November 9, 2000, SCOTT v. AMERICAN TOBACCO CO. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. [online] Available at: https://archive.org/details/tobacco_shxl0001/page/8299/mode/2up [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].

Megerdichian, C., Rees, V., Ferris Wayne, G. and Connolly, G. (2007). Internal tobacco industry research on olfactory and trigeminal nerve response to nicotine and other smoke components. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 9(11), pp.1119–1129.

‌Meiselman, H.L. and Schutz, H.G. (2003). History of food acceptance research in the US Army. Appetite, 40(3), pp.199–216. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/s0195-6663(03)00007-2.

Monteiro, C., Cannon, G., Lawrence, M., Laura Da Costa Louzada, M. and Machado, P. (2019). Ultra-processed foods, diet quality, and health using the NOVA classification system.

Monteiro, C.A., Cannon, G., Moubarac, J.-C., Levy, R.B., Louzada, M.L.C. and Jaime, P.C. (2017). Ultra-processing. An odd ‘appraisal’. Public Health Nutrition, 21(03), pp.497–501. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/s1368980017003287.

‌Morgan, M., Boylan, M., Rocha, R., Seeger, M., Llp, W., Morgan, T., Seeger, C., Thomas, F., Petosa, F. and Martinez, B. (n.d.). Attorneys for Plaintiff *Pending Admission Pro Hac Vice. [online] Available at: https://www.forthepeople.com/sites/default/files/2024-12/Filed%20UPF%20Complaint.pdf [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (n.d.). Overweight & Obesity Statistics | NIDDK. [online] Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity#trends.

Nova groups for food processing, A classification in 4 groups to highlight the degree of processing of foods https://world.openfoodfacts.org/nova

Sartorelli, D.S., Crivellenti, L.C., Baroni, N.F., de Andrade Miranda, D.E.G., da Silva Santos, I., Carvalho, M.R., de Lima, M.C., Carreira, N.P., Chaves, A.V.L., Manochio-Pina, M.G., Franco, L.J. and Diez-Garcia, R.W. (2022). Effectiveness of a minimally processed food-based nutritional counselling intervention on weight gain in overweight pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Nutrition. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-022-02995-9.

Smith, E. (2016). A Brief History of the Cheese Curl, Junk Food’s Happiest Accident. [online] Atlas Obscura. Available at: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-cheese-curl-junk-foods-happiest-accident.

‌Ultra-Processed Foods (UPF): Background and Policy Issues. (n.d.). Available at: https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12826/2.

‌WEINSTEIN, H. (1996). Court Case Details Tobacco Firm’s Use of German Lab. [online] Los Angeles Times. Available at: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-18-mn-45093-story.html [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].

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