A new series published by The Lancet has issued a stark warning to governments worldwide: the unchecked rise of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is fuelling a global health crisis, widening inequalities, and accelerating the burden of chronic diseases.
According to the report, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) — including heart disease, cancer and diabetes — are now the leading cause of death globally, and their rapid growth is closely linked to soaring consumption of heavily processed foods.
UPFs are industrially manufactured products that undergo multiple stages of processing and contain additives rarely found in home kitchens.
These include soft drinks, packaged snacks, instant meals, reconstituted meats, mass-produced breads and flavoured cereals.
Designed for long shelf life, convenience and mass appeal, they often displace whole, nutrient-rich foods.
A global food system “dominated by profit”
The Lancet report argues that the UPF boom is driven by the industrial transformation of low-cost commodities like maize, wheat, soy and palm oil — an industry largely controlled by multinational corporations.
These companies engineer foods for hyper-palatability, market them aggressively and exert outsized influence on food policy, researchers say.
In high-income countries, UPFs make up nearly half of all household food consumption. The trend is rapidly expanding across low- and middle-income countries as well, pushing traditional diets aside.
Beyond health impacts, the report notes that UPF production, processing and distribution rely heavily on fossil fuels, while packaging is predominantly plastic — adding environmental strain to an already unsustainable food system.
Call for government-led action
Public health experts quoted in the report call for a comprehensive, government-led regulatory overhaul to reverse current trends. Proposed measures include:
- Adding markers of ultra-processing to nutrient profiling systems
- Mandatory front-of-pack warning labels
- Restrictions on marketing to children
- Limits on UPFs in schools and other public institutions
- Higher taxes on UPFs, with revenues channelled to support low-income families
- Stronger competition policies to counter corporate influence
Equity must be central, the report adds, given that low-income households consume the highest share of UPFs — often because they are cheaper and more accessible.
Without safeguards, reducing UPF intake could worsen food insecurity or increase the burden on women who typically handle meal preparation.
Kenya trends mirror global patterns
While Kenya’s UPF consumption remains below global averages, recent studies show a steady rise.
The 2025 Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI) assessment found that per-capita retail value of packaged foods — most of them UPFs — stands at USD 36.8 annually.
Among adolescents in urban informal settlements, UPFs already account for about a quarter of daily energy intake.
Shelf-space audits show that UPFs occupy roughly one-third of supermarket displays and dominate food advertising.
Over 70% of packaged foods and beverages sold in Kenyan supermarkets are classified as unhealthy due to high sugar, salt or fat content.
Kenya is also grappling with an escalating NCD burden: between 39% and 62% of all deaths recorded in health facilities are now attributed to non-communicable diseases, according to recent Ministry of Health data.
WHO developing global guidance
The World Health Organization has begun drafting global guidelines on UPF consumption as part of broader efforts to promote healthier and more sustainable diets.
WHO notes that UPF-heavy diets greatly increase the risk of NCDs — which kill more than 41 million people worldwide each year, representing 71% of all global deaths.
Experts quoted by The Lancet stress that only a “fully resourced, multi-sector approach” — one that limits harmful corporate practices and rebalances food systems — can meaningfully curb the global dependence on ultra-processed foods.