From Tobacco to Ultraprocessed Food: How Industry Engineering Fuels the Epidemic of Preventable Disease

UPFs should be evaluated not only through a nutritional lens but also as addictive, industrially engineered substances. Lessons from tobacco regulation, including litigation, marketing restrictions, and structural interventions, offer a roadmap for reducing UPF-related harm. Public health efforts must shift from individual responsibility to food industry accountability, recognizing UPFs as potent drivers of preventable disease.

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Publication Details

Journal
Milbank Quarterly
Published
2026-02-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.70066
Primary Topic
Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

From Tobacco to Ultraprocessed Food: How Industry Engineering Fuels the Epidemic of Preventable Disease

Allan M. Brandt, KELLY D. BROWNELL, ASHLEY N. GEARHARDT
Milbank Quarterly
Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
article

From Tobacco to Ultraprocessed Food: How Industry Engineering Fuels the Epidemic of Preventable Disease

Allan M. Brandt, KELLY D. BROWNELL, ASHLEY N. GEARHARDT
article en

Abstract

UPFs should be evaluated not only through a nutritional lens but also as addictive, industrially engineered substances. Lessons from tobacco regulation, including litigation, marketing restrictions, and structural interventions, offer a roadmap for reducing UPF-related harm. Public health efforts must shift from individual responsibility to food industry accountability, recognizing UPFs as potent drivers of preventable disease.

Milbank QuarterlyVol. 104(1)
Harvard University (US), Duke University (US), University of Michigan (US)
Bloomberg Philanthropies, Vital Strategies
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 71%
Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
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From Tobacco to Ultraprocessed Food: How Industry Engineering Fuels the Epidemic of Preventable Disease — Allan M. Brandt, KELLY D. BROWNELL, et al. · Milbank Quarterly (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS