What's all the fuss about ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD?

The term is everywhere - but what does it mean, and why is it such a worry? Psychologies speaks to Dr Chris Van Tulleken, TV presenter and one half of Britain's favourite twin doctors, to find out...

- Dr Chris Van Tulleken

In your book, you talk about 'ultra-processed food' (UPF). What's that?

If it's wrapped in plastic, and contains an additive you don't have in your kitchen, it's probably ultra-processed. That encompasses all supermarket bread, almost all breakfast cereals, all those nutrition bars, frozen pizzas, most ready meals. If it's marketed at you, it's probably ultra-processed.

Why focus on this, instead of sugar or salt or fat?

Obesity has one primary cause, which is the consumption and marketing of modern industrial food - or ultra-processed foods. That definition was written down in 2010, as a hypothesis, and it's been tested really rigorously since then. I'd say the jury is now in on it being the primary cause of pandemic obesity. It's very likely also the origin of diet-related disease, which is now the leading cause of early death for humans.

Why do you focus in particular on these foods in relation to children?

We know that children living with increased body weight suffer hugely in terms of exclusion, stigma, and other health problems. And so children provide a way of having this discussion away from the politics and angst about snobbery. We can all agree that children in our country live with obesity because of the environment, not because of bad parenting. The food we buy is the food that is affordable and available to us.

People with money and resources and education eat completely different food to those born without these things. Somehow, when you give people unlimited opportunities, they generally choose healthy diets. And when people don't have those opportunities, they can't afford healthy diets. If we look at the lowest 10 per cent of households by income, and ask what would it cost to follow the NHS guidance, it would cost them 75 per cent of their income.

So is it just a financial issue?