Infographics

The Lancet Series on Ultra-Processed Foods and Human Health

20 years ago, while studying changes in Brazil’s food supply linked to rising obesity, we realised that the purpose of food processing had shifted from preserving foods to creating profitable substitutes using cheap food substances and additives. That insight led us to create the Nova classification—with its fourth group of ultra-processed foods—to capture not just nutrients, but also the extent and purpose of food processing as a key determinant of diet quality and risk of ill health.