Food for Thought: Ultraprocessed Food: Keeping us fed or making us sick?

Ultra processed foods (UPFs) are increasingly identified as a key driver of the global obesity crisis that is threatening many of millions of lives.

So why do we consume UPFs in such huge quantities? Can we feed the world’s population sustainably without them? Could they be a necessary evil?

Ultraprocessed Foods (UPFs) exist thanks to industrial processes and international long-haul transport, which favour homogenous, uniformly packaged, ready-to-eat, long-life foodstuffs. Good for global supply chains and ‘big food’, but perhaps less than optimal for human health.

Our panel of leading experts including Dr Chris van Tulleken, author of Ultra-Processed People and Baroness Walmsley, Chair of the House of Lords Committee on Food, Diet and Obesity, will discuss:

• what UPFs are
• the advantages of UPFs to the food industry
• the evidence that links diets high in UPF with poor health
• how government and industry could regulate them
• whether healthier, less processed, but more expensive, food is an economically and environmentally viable option.

Our speakers will give brief presentations addressing key issues, followed by a Q&A with the audience.

Chair:
Professor Martin White, Professor of Population Health Research, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge

Panel:

• Dr Yanaina Chavez-Ugalde, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge
• Dr Jagjit Singh Srai, Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), University of Cambridge
• Dr. Chris van Tulleken, Associate Professor, University College London.
• Baroness Walmsley, Chair, House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee

Details for this event on our website.

Hosted by:

Cambridge Global Food Security is an Interdisciplinary Research Centre at the University of Cambridge.  We promote an interdisciplinary approach to addressing the challenge of ensuring all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life.  Our Food for Thought  webinars are open to all.