In the Trump administration’s quest to “Make America Healthy Again,” there may be no bigger target than ultraprocessed foods. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s new health secretary, has cited “highly chemically processed foods” as a chief culprit behind an epidemic of chronic disease in the U.S., including ailments such as obesity, diabetes and autoimmune disorders. Such foods are “poisoning” people, particularly children, Kennedy said during Senate confirmation hearings. He has vowed to work to remove such foods from federal programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. “I will do everything in my power to put the health of Americans back on track,” he told lawmakers. Key to that goal, however, could be making sure that consumers understand basic facts about ultraprocessed foods and the role they play in daily meals. From sugary cereals at breakfast to frozen pizzas at dinner, plus in-between snacks of potato chips, sodas and ice cream, ultraprocessed foods make up about 60% of the U.S. diet. For kids and teens, it’s even higher — about two-thirds of what they eat. That’s concerning because ultraprocessed foods have been linked to a host of negative health effects, from obesity and diabetes to heart disease, depression, dementia and more. One recent study suggested that eating these foods may raise the risk of early death. Nutrition science is tricky, though, and most research so far has found connections, not proof, regarding the health consequences of these foods. Food manufacturers argue that processing boosts food safety and supplies and offers a cheap, convenient way to provide a diverse and nutritious diet. Even if the science were clear, it’s hard to know what practical advice to give when ultraprocessed foods account for what one study estimates is more than 70% of the U.S. food supply. The Associated Press asked several nutrition experts and here’s what they said: What are ultraprocessed foods? Most foods are processed, whether it’s by freezing, grinding, fermentation, pasteurization or other means. In 2009, Brazilian epidemiologist Carlos Monteiro and colleagues first proposed a system that classifies foods according to the amount of processing they undergo, not by nutrient content. At the top of the four-tier scale are foods created through industrial processes and with ingredients such as additives, colors and preservatives that you couldn’t duplicate in a home kitchen, said Kevin Hall, a researcher who focuses on metabolism and diet at the National Institutes of Health. “These are most, but not all, of the packaged foods you see,” Hall said. Such foods are often made to be both cheap and irresistibly delicious, said Dr. Neena Prasad, director of the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Food Policy Program. “They have just the right combination of sugar, salt and fat and you just can’t stop eating them,” Prasad said. However, the level of processing alone doesn’t determine whether a food is unhealthy or not, Hall noted. Whole-grain bread, yogurt, tofu and infant formula are all highly processed, for instance, but they’re also nutritious. Are ultraprocessed foods harmful? Here’s the tricky part. Many studies suggest that diets high in such foods are linked to negative health outcomes. But these kinds of studies can’t say whether the foods themselves are the cause of the negative effects — or whether there’s something else about the people who eat these foods that might be responsible. Ultraprocessed foods, as a group, tend […]