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Ultra Processed Food: making us sick or keeping us fed?

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We know ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are bad for us but…

… can our food system feed the planet without them?  

UPFs are increasingly identified as a key driver of the global obesity crisis threatening many of millions of lives. So why do we consume UPFs in such huge quantities? Can we feed the world’s population sustainably without them? Could they be a necessary evil?

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UPFs exist thanks to industrial processes and international long-haul transport, which favour homogenous, uniformly packaged, ready-to-eat, long-life foodstuffs. Good for global supply chains and ‘big food’, but perhaps less than optimal for human health.

Can we feed the world without UPFs? Is healthier, less processed food an economically and environmentally viable option for the world’s population? What about the cost of the health problems that UPFs are increasingly proven to cause?

Last month, the House of Lords’ Committee on Food, Diet and Obesity published their report ‘Recipe for Health: A plan to fix our broken food system‘.  The Committee was appointed to consider the role of foods, such as ‘ultra-processed foods’ (UPFs) in tackling obesity.  We’re delighted to welcome Baroness Walmsley, Chair of the Committee to this event.

Our expert panel will give brief presentations addressing key issues, followed by a Q&A with the audience.

Chair:
Professor Martin White, Professor of Population Health Research, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge

Speakers:
Dr Yanaina Chavez-Ugalde, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge
Dr Jagjit Singh Srai, Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), University of Cambridge
Dr. Chris van Tulleken, Associate Professor, University College London.
Baroness Walmsley, Chair, House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee
Please click here to register.

Part of our Food for Thought webinar series.

Date: Thursday, 21 November, 2024 – 17:30 to 18:30
Event location: online

Posted on 13/11/2024