Despite its widespread use, "ultra-processed" food does not have a universal definition. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he’d like to define it by April. So far, ...

A major new European study is raising fresh concerns about the long-term health effects of preservatives commonly found in ...

Researchers from South Dakota State University found that when they reduced the amount of ultra-processed food in a clinical feeding trial, the overall amount of calories consumed by participants also ...

The American diet is killing us. On that point, public health experts largely agree. And in recent years, people who want to make Americans healthier — across the ideological spectrum — are targeting ...

A new longitudinal study shows that rising ultra-processed food intake in young adults with a history of overweight or obesity sharply increases prediabetes risk. This shows how everyday eating habits ...

Processed foods are often portrayed as harmful or unhealthy, but many beliefs about them are based on myths rather than facts. The term “processed” includes everything from canned vegetables to bread, ...

Eating large amounts of ultra-processed foods like chips, frozen meals, sugary drinks, and packaged snacks may significantly raise the risk of serious heart problems. In a major U.S. study, people ...

Sarah Todd returned to reporting in January 2025 after being assignment editor at STAT since October 2022. You can reach Sarah on Signal at sarahlizchar.47. As the Trump administration looks to create ...

Experts dug into decades of research to show how ultra-processed foods are designed for maximum reward, rapid absorption, and habitual overuse — paralleling tobacco industry tactics. Researchers from ...