Study linking ultra-processed foods to chronic disease leads to government lawsuit

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The authorities of California is taking complaint successful the combat against ultra-processed foods, with San Francisco becoming the archetypal metropolis to record a authorities suit against nutrient manufacturers implicit UPFs.

"They knew their products marque radical precise sick, but hid the information from the public, profited from untold billions and near Americans to woody with the consequences," said San Francisco City Attorney David Hugh.

In a property league connected Tuesday, Hugh stood adjacent to a array flooded with immoderate of the astir fashionable suspects.

The suit claims that products are being falsely advertised and made with chemicals that marque them highly addictive.

"These companies cognize their products are harming people, but they proceed to marketplace and nett disconnected them, peculiarly astatine the disbursal of our kids," Hugh said.

Named successful the 62-page ailment were immoderate of the largest brands successful the country, including Coca-Cola, Kellogg's, and Nestle.

It comes conscionable weeks aft a survey revealed that adults with diets containing precocious amounts of UPF person an accrued hazard of chronic disease.

And successful October, California became the archetypal authorities to legally specify UPFs, with the extremity of yet banning them from nationalist schools.

"I highly promote changing 1 happening astatine a time, starting small, if that beryllium look astatine your sweetener intake, effort to support it to little than 25 grams of added sweetener a day, looking astatine your nutritional profiles," said caregiver practitioner Rebecca Donahue.

She says the foods are made to beryllium casual to over-consume, portion adding small to nary nutritional value.

"Stay retired of the halfway aisles, due to the fact that the halfway aisles are wherever each the processed foods are. If it's successful a box, made by a machine, with ingredients we can't read, we astir apt shouldn't beryllium eating it," Donahue said.

For radical looking to marque a change, Donahue advises against a implicit overhaul, suggesting tiny changes implicit time, saying, "It's a time by time process, and I archer my patients not to get caught up successful the future, to marque the close choices today, and successful a twelvemonth they'll beryllium capable to look backmost and spot what each those regular close choices did for them."

The suit besides calls connected section governments to screen the costs of treating diseases caused by ultraprocessed foods.

It's asking for fiscal compensation for cities that person treated sick residents.

ABC reached retired to respective of the brands listed successful the metropolis attorney's lawsuit. They responded to the suit from their commercialized group, Consumer Brands Association, with a statement, writing:

"The makers of America's trusted household brands enactment Americans successful making healthier choices and enhancing merchandise transparency. That's wherefore nutrient and beverage manufacturers proceed to present caller merchandise options that see accrued macromolecule and fiber, reduced sugars and sodium, and nary synthetic colour additives. There is presently nary agreed upon technological explanation of ultra-processed foods and attempting to classify foods arsenic unhealthy simply due to the fact that they are processed, oregon demonizing nutrient by ignoring its afloat nutrient content, misleads consumers and exacerbates wellness disparities. Companies adhere to the rigorous evidence-based information standards established by the FDA to present safe, affordable and convenient products that consumers beryllium connected each day. Americans merit facts based connected dependable subject successful bid to marque the champion choices for their health." - Sarah Gallo, Senior Vice President of Product Policy, Consumer Brands Association.