What Makes Ultra-Processed Food Appealing? A critical scan and conceptual model

Abstract

There is growing evidence that consumption of ultra-processed food (UPF) has become a leading cause of global premature deaths and preventable diet-related diseases. To reduce consumption of UPF requires an understanding of the multiple forces behind it, including the understudied question of what makes UPF appealing. This critical scan of literature across multiple disciplines aims to fill this gap. We conclude that appeal is a multi-dimensional construct generated through the interplay of the products themselves, the people consuming them, and the practices of the corporations that manufacture, market, and distribute them. We argue that these relationships need to be unpacked to understand UPF appeal fully, and that public health interventions must take on the multiple dimensions of UPF appeal in an integrated way to effectively reduce its consumption. We propose a conceptual framework that can guide research to analyze the causes and consequences of UPF appeal and inform the development of policies and other interventions to reduce UPF appeal and consumption.