Trump administration takes aim at ultra-processed foods, highlighting heart risks
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture are looking to reduce the amount of ultra-processed foods being eaten by Americans on a daily basis. The agencies highlighted years of research that have linked ultra-processed foods to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and other serious health conditions.
Ultra-processed foods include packaged snacks, fizzy drinks, sugar-sweetened cereals, frozen dinners and other ready-to-eat items. These products go through a wide range of industrial processes to enhance their taste, texture and appearance. One umbrella review from 2024 found that ultra-processed foods were associated with heightened risk of heart disease-related mortality, type 2 diabetes and 30 other adverse health outcomes.[1]
The first phase of this new initiative involves developing a uniform definition of ultra-processed foods. Once finalized, they explained, this definition will help “pave the way” for researchers and policymakers looking to limit the consumption of these foods throughout the United States.
“Ultra-processed foods are driving our chronic disease epidemic,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. “We must act boldly to eliminate the root causes of chronic illness and improve the health of our food supply. Defining ultra-processed foods with a clear, uniform standard will empower us even more to Make America Healthy Again.”
“A unified, widely understood definition for ultra processed foods is long overdue, and I look forward to continued partnership with Secretary Kennedy to Make America Healthy Again,” added U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “As this process unfolds, I will make certain the great men and women of the agriculture value chain are part of the conversation.”
In addition to establishing this uniform definition, federal agencies are also investing in additional research on ultra-processed foods and pursuing policy changes that could help limit the consumption of these items throughout the United States.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.