Are ultra-processed foods really cheap? Reassessing health, equity and environmental costs across the life course in low- and middle-income countries
Author(s)
Kaur, Sandeep
Chauhan, Akashdeep Singh
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Ultra-processed foods, as classified by NOVA, provide a substantial and rising share of dietary energy worldwide. Manufactured from cheap refined ingredients and cosmetic additives, they are engineered for hyper-palatability, long shelf life and profit and are widely perceived as convenient, low-cost options. This commentary argues that such perceptions of ‘cheapness’ are misleading once health, equity and environmental impacts are considered.
Date Issued
2026-01-01
Date Acceptance
2026-05-11
Citation
Public Health Nutrition, 2026, 29 (1)
ISSN
1368-9800
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Start Page
e112
Journal / Book Title
Public Health Nutrition
Volume
29
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42167811
PII: S1368980026102778
Subjects
Food marketing
Food policy
NOVA classification
Non-communicable diseases
School-based interventions
Ultra-processed foods
Humans
Developing Countries
Environment
Fast Foods
Food Handling
Food, Processed
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
e112
Date Publish Online
2026-05-22