Should governments regulate unhealthy food like tobacco? Some Penn researchers say yes

Ultra-processed foods like chips, candy or cereal have come under a lot of scrutiny lately for their impact on people’s health. Two food policy researchers at the University of Pennsylvania argue that these products should be regulated like tobacco. They join a growing group of policy makers and researchers voicing grave concern about these foods.

“For tobacco, governments implemented this suite of complementary policies that worked together to reduce smoking prevalence and to improve health,” said Alyssa Moran, a policy researcher at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Food and Nutrition Policy. “And that’s exactly what we need for ultra-processed foods.”