According to a new survey published in the American Journal of Public Health, 77% of Americans across party lines support mandatory warning labels on ultraprocessed foods (UPFs), while 70% want advertising bans on children's television and 87% call for government safety testing of food chemicals. in response, researchers led by Ashley Gearhardt of the University of Michigan have launched the 'Fed UP!' campaign to educate the public and push for regulatory change, the report says.

The 77% Supermajority Behind Warning Labels

The poll, published in the American Journal of Public Health, found that support for UPF warning labels crosses political divides, with similar percentages among Democrats and Republicans. Up to 70% of respondents also backed a ban on advertising UPFs during children's TV programming, and 87% demanded rigorous federal safety testing for lab-made food chemicals before they enter the market. Ashley Gearhardt, senior author of the survey, noted that families are increasingly asking critical questions about food production and want to be part of the solution, as reported by the study.

The $1.15 Billion Lobbying Barrier to Reform

A major obstacle to change is the food industry's lobbying power. according to the survey's accompanying research, ultraprocessed food companies spent $1.15 billion on lobbying between 1999 and 2020, outspending the tobacco, alcohol, and gambling sectors combined. Barry Popkin, a distinguished professor at the University of North Carolina, criticized a recent government report from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission as 'toothless', suggesting that industry lobbying successfully watered down recommendations. The commission's September report merely promised to 'continue efforts' to define ultraprocessed foods.

Why 10% More UPFs Raises Heart Disease Risk by 50%

The health stakes are stark. Research cited in the survey indicates that consuming just 10% more calories from UPFs – roughly one extra serving per day – may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease-related death by 50%. Higher UPF consumption is also linked to a 55% greater chance of obesity, a 40% higher probability of type 2 diabetes, and emerging evidence ties UPFs to Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline. A companion study found that US adults with the highest UPF intake faced nearly a 60% higher risk of dementia compared to those with lower consumption, according to the source.

Open Questions: Will the Fed UP! Campaign Break the Lobbying Grip?

The 'Fed UP!' campaign aims to mobilize public pressure, offering resources to petition local officials and reduce UPFs in school meals. But key unknowns remain: Will the food lobby's spending continue to block federal action? Can the campaign achieve what the MAHA Commission did not? And will HHS Secretary Robert F. kennedy Jr., whose past statements on curbing UPFs have been called encouraging by experts, translate rhetoric into regulation? The source notes that countries in South America have already implemented warning labels and advertising restrictions, leaving the U.S. as an outlier.