Bryce Martinez, an 18-year-old from Pennsylvania, has launched a lawsuit against 11 major food manufacturers, alleging that their ultra-processed foods are designed to be addictive. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease at just 16, Martinez’s case has escalated growing concerns over the health impacts of ultra-processed foods. As of 2021, between 5% and 10% of American children were diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
One in five adolescents aged 12 to 18 were classified as pre-diabetic based on 2019 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Nicole Saphier stated that the rise in childhood obesity and related health issues is not surprising. Saphier stated, “We’ve been watching this trend happen for the last decade or so. And while we have come to accept the fact that American adults tend to be overweight and have metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes and diabetes, it’s now going into our children.”
Saphier stated, “These all have addiction potentials. They really feed on our natural dopamine pathways, which are the reward centers in the brain.”
Saphier asked, “If the product is harming the actual consumer … is it working for the consumer or is it purely profit-driven? Because the harsh reality is people profit off addiction.”
Saphier added, “Yes, there are aggressive and harmful marketing campaigns, there [are] disgusting chemicals in our food supply, especially what’s accessible to lower-income populations – but also we have to think of, as the individual, what are we choosing to do.”
Ultra-processed foods, including ice cream, chips, and soda, also contribute to chronic inflammation linked to various health conditions, including colorectal cancer. Experts warned that these foods not only contribute to obesity but also suppress the immune system and promote inflammation.
A study led by Dr. Timothy Yeatman at the University of South Florida analyzed tumor samples from colorectal cancer patients, revealing high levels of inflammatory molecules associated with ultra-processed food consumption. Yeatman advocates for a shift towards healthier, unprocessed foods to combat inflammation and improve health outcomes.
Yeatman said, “Cancer is like a chronic wound that won’t heal — if your body is living off of daily ultra-processed foods, its ability to heal that wound decreases.”
Yeatman added, “The body is resilient. If diets are truly changed to avoid inflammatory oils [and] high sugar levels (which can induce inflammation), results could happen in months.”
The University of South Florida team is conducting ongoing research to explore the relationship between diet, inflammation, and cancer. They recently received a $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to further investigate these connections.
Yeatman said, “This has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, moving beyond drugs to harness natural healing processes. It’s a vital step toward addressing chronic inflammation and preventing diseases before they start.”