A new study suggests ultra-processed foods (UPFs) should face restrictions similar to tobacco, arguing that these products are engineered to drive compulsive consumption and may create addictive behaviors. Researchers from Harvard, Duke, and Michigan universities compared UPFs to cigarettes in design, marketing, and distribution, calling for stricter regulation of the industry rather than relying on individual choice.

“Some ultra-processed foods have crossed a line,” said Ashley Gearhardt, a psychology professor at the University of Michigan and one of the study’s authors. She noted that fizzy drinks, sweets, and fast food are designed less like traditional food and more like cigarettes, optimised for craving, rapid intake, and repeated consumption. “That level of harm demands regulatory action aimed at industry design and marketing, not individual willpower,” Gearhardt added.

The study highlights the growing consumption of UPFs worldwide and their links to serious health risks. Diets high in these products have been associated with obesity, diabetes, metabolic disorders, heart disease, and certain cancers, the World Health Organization warns. Examples of ultra-processed foods include frozen pizzas, ready-made meals, sweetened breakfast cereals, biscuits, sausages, ice cream, chicken nuggets, fish fingers, and instant noodles.

Researchers argue that many UPFs share more characteristics with cigarettes than with minimally processed fruits and vegetables. Both tobacco and UPFs begin as natural substances with low addictive potential but are industrially engineered to maximise consumption, accessibility, and profit. According to the study, understanding this industrial design should shift the focus from individual responsibility to corporate accountability.

“The foods driving modern epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disease are not inherently harmful in their natural form,” the paper notes. “These products are carefully engineered to maximise hedonic impact, consumption, and profitability through industrial processing.”

The study recommends policies modeled on tobacco control to curb the impact of UPFs. Suggestions include taxes on nutrient-poor ultra-processed foods, restrictions on advertising—particularly to children—and reducing availability in hospitals and schools. Researchers also call for clearer product labelling, warning that marketing claims like “low fat” or “high protein” often mask highly processed products as healthier than they are.

Consumption of UPFs is rising rapidly. In the United States, over half of daily calories come from ultra-processed products, while in the United Kingdom, they make up almost two-thirds of adolescent calorie intake. Researchers warn that without targeted regulation, the health burden associated with these products will continue to grow.

By framing ultra-processed foods as industrially engineered and potentially addictive, the study emphasizes the need for regulatory approaches that go beyond education campaigns, aiming to hold manufacturers accountable for design and marketing practices that contribute to global health risks.

A new Portuguese-Brazilian study suggests that controlling calorie intake can improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy in treating sarcomas, a rare type of cancer, while also protecting healthy cells from treatment damage. The research, conducted by the RISE Health Research Unit in collaboration with the Federal University of Piauí in Brazil, was released on World Cancer Day, February 4, a day promoted by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) to raise awareness of cancer prevention, early diagnosis, and access to treatments.

The study found that moderate calorie restriction, alone or in combination with chemotherapy drugs such as doxorubicin, significantly reduced tumour size and weight, increased tumour inhibition rates, and protected normal cells from chemotherapy-induced damage. Researchers reported that a 40 percent reduction in calorie intake induced metabolic stress in the tumour microenvironment, disrupting processes essential for cancer growth.

“From this experimental study, carried out on animal models, we observed that calorie restriction for short periods can be favourable to cancer treatment,” said Moisés Tolentino Bento da Silva of RISE Health, who led the research in Portugal. He explained that higher energy intake fuels cancer progression, so reducing calorie intake limits the energy supply to the tumour and enhances chemotherapy effectiveness.

The study also highlighted additional benefits of calorie restriction. It supports DNA repair in healthy tissues damaged by chemotherapy and reprogrammes lipid metabolism, lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels that feed malignant cells. Researchers noted that these effects may also have broader implications for managing chronic conditions such as type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Alongside dietary control, the study emphasized the importance of regular physical exercise during cancer treatment. “If cancer patients exercise adequately and regularly during chemotherapy, they will experience fewer side effects in various systems, such as the gastrointestinal tract,” Tolentino Bento da Silva said. “Physical exercise, together with a good diet, has great benefits for the patient’s quality of life, whether it is preventative, during treatment, or after oncological therapy.”

The research, published in the journal Cancers, provides new evidence that lifestyle interventions, including calorie management and physical activity, can complement traditional cancer therapies. While the study was conducted on animal models, the findings open pathways for clinical research and potential integration into patient care protocols.

As cancer treatment continues to evolve, experts suggest that non-pharmacological approaches such as diet and exercise may play an increasingly important role in supporting patients, improving treatment outcomes, and enhancing overall well-being during chemotherapy.

A new study published in Nature Medicine on Tuesday shows that nearly 40 percent of new cancer cases worldwide could be prevented by managing common risk factors such as smoking, alcohol use, and infections. The research, released ahead of World Cancer Day, analyzed 36 types of cancer across 185 countries using data from 2022 and examined 30 modifiable risk factors that can be controlled or managed to reduce the likelihood of developing the disease.

The study found that tobacco use remains the leading contributor to cancer globally, followed by infections and alcohol consumption. Out of the 18.7 million new cancer cases recorded in 2022, about 7.1 million, or 38 percent, were linked to preventable causes. Stomach, lung, and cervical cancers accounted for nearly half of these avoidable cases.

Smoking was responsible for approximately 15 percent of preventable cancers, making it the single largest risk factor worldwide. Infections, including human papillomavirus (HPV), contributed to around 10 percent of cases, while alcohol consumption accounted for three percent.

Regional differences were evident in the data. In low- and middle-income regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa, infections were the leading contributor to preventable cancers, with cervical cancer being particularly prevalent. In contrast, in high-income regions such as Europe and North America, smoking was the primary factor driving cancer cases among women. Smoking also remained the top risk factor among men globally, responsible for nearly 25 percent of 4.3 million avoidable cases. Infections were the second leading cause of cancer among men, especially in Asia, Africa, and South America.

Among the 9.2 million new cancer cases in women, roughly 30 percent were considered preventable. Infections such as HPV were linked to over 11 percent of these cases, highlighting the importance of vaccination and early detection programs in vulnerable regions.

The research also considered population-level exposure to each risk factor, showing how the number of cases varied across regions based on lifestyle, healthcare access, and public health interventions. Previous studies often focused on single risk factors or mortality, but this study provides a more comprehensive view of cancer incidence globally and the proportion that could be avoided through preventive measures.

Researchers say the findings could help guide more targeted cancer prevention strategies. By identifying the most significant risk factors in different regions, policymakers and health organizations can design interventions tailored to local needs rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

“This study underscores the potential for prevention in reducing the global burden of cancer,” the authors said. “Addressing smoking, infections, and alcohol consumption could prevent millions of cases each year and save countless lives.”