Kenya and world face growing health threat as ultra-processed foods flood markets and diets

The Lancet is urging global coordination as chronic illnesses surge due to ultra-processed foods. The report warns that rising consumption is damaging public health, fuelling chronic diseases worldwide and widening health inequalities. Non-communicable diseases have now become the leading cause of death globally.

Ultra-processed foods are products that undergo extensive industrial manufacturing and contain ingredients not typically used in a home kitchen.

They are produced through multiple processing steps—such as extrusion, moulding or chemical modification—and often include additives that enhance flavour, texture, colour or shelf life.

These foods are designed to be convenient, long-lasting and highly appealing, but in the process, they lose the recognisable qualities of whole foods. Examples include soft drinks, packaged snacks, instant meals, processed meats, and many mass-produced breads and cereals.

Reversing the global surge in the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has become a growing priority for public health experts, who warn that these products pose escalating risks to both human and planetary health.

While some critics argue that it is misleading to group fortified cereals and flavoured yoghurts together with sugary drinks or reconstituted meats under the same UPF label, nutrition researchers maintain that the real danger lies in overall dietary patterns. UPFs tend to displace whole or minimally processed foods, and the cumulative effects of multiple additives can contribute to adverse health outcomes.

Low-cost commodities

At the centre of the UPF industry is the industrial transformation of low-cost commodities—such as maize, wheat, soy and palm oil—into a wide range of food-derived ingredients, largely controlled by a small number of multinational corporations.

These products are engineered for hyper-palatability and marketed aggressively, encouraging frequent consumption and crowding out traditional, nutrient-rich foods.

In high-income countries, UPFs account for nearly half of household food intake, and consumption is rising rapidly in low- and middle-income nations.

Environmental impacts are also mounting, as the production, processing and global transport of agricultural commodities rely heavily on fossil fuels, while UPF packaging is predominantly made of plastic.

Comprehensive regulatory agenda

Public health advocates argue that reversing current trends will require a comprehensive, government-led regulatory agenda. Proposed measures include adding markers of ultra-processing, such as artificial colours, flavours and non-sugar sweeteners, to nutrient profiling systems; introducing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels; banning marketing targeted at children; limiting the availability of UPFs in public institutions; and imposing higher taxes on these products.

Experts also stress the need for stronger competition policies and mandatory regulations to counter corporate influence.

Addressing UPF consumption must also place equity at the centre. Rates of UPF intake are highest among low-income households, and any transition away from processed diets must avoid increasing food insecurity or placing disproportionate burdens on women responsible for food preparation.

Other Topics To Read

• Health
• World health organisation
• The Lancet
• ultra-processed foods
• non-communicable diseases
• packaged foods
• Kenya nutrition
• food industry regulation
• health inequalities
• UPF taxation
• global health policy
• Kenya and world face growing health threat as ultra-processed foods flood markets and diets
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Purchase healthier alternatives

Revenues from UPF taxation could be used to fund cash transfers to help low-income families purchase healthier alternatives.

Public health researchers argue that the UPF industry exemplifies a food system dominated by multinational corporations that prioritise profit over wellbeing.

Findings highlighted in The Lancet’s new series strengthen calls for immediate and coordinated global action.

Experts say that only a fully resourced, multi-sector strategy—one that curbs harmful corporate practices and reduces the influence of the UPF industry—will be capable of reshaping food systems worldwide.

The World Health Organisation recognises that diets high in ultra-processed foods are linked to an increased risk of noncommunicable diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and certain cancers.

Global guidelines

WHO has initiated the development of global guidelines on the consumption of ultra-processed foods, aiming to promote healthier, safer and more sustainable diets worldwide.

The organisation emphasises reducing reliance on these foods, especially when they replace minimally processed, nutrient-rich alternatives.

In Kenya, while UPF consumption remains lower than in high-income countries, recent data indicate that ultra-processed and packaged foods are becoming increasingly available and consumed.

The 2025 Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI) assessment found that the retail value per capita of packaged foods, including UPFs, was approximately USD 36.8 annually—still well below global and regional averages. Among urban adolescents, UPFs can already account for around a quarter of total daily energy intake, particularly in slum populations.

Shelf-space audits show that UPFs occupy roughly one-third of supermarket shelves and are heavily promoted through advertising, often dominating food marketing. Furthermore, over 70 per cent of packaged foods and beverages in Kenyan supermarkets are classified as “unhealthy” due to high levels of sugar, salt or fat.

Globally, studies indicate that in many high-income countries, UPFs already make up a substantial share of daily caloric intake, with estimates reaching as high as 60 per cent.

In Kenya, recent data indicate that NCDs now account for roughly 39–62 per cent of all deaths recorded in Kenyan health facilities, with a clear upward trend over the past decade.

Globally, the WHO notes that NCDs are responsible for over 71 per cent of global deaths each year, which translates to more than 41 million people.

Cardiovascular diseases are the largest contributors, accounting for about 17.9 million deaths annually, followed by cancers (9.3 million), respiratory diseases (4.1 million) and diabetes (1.5 million).