Eating ultra-processed food causes a multitude of health problems.
Ultra-processed food is connected to a whole host of health issues
Products such as ready meals and chocolate bars have been linked with 32 damaging health outcomes, including diabetes, cancer and heart disease, according to a review of evidence.
Academics at Deakin University in Australia examined data from around the world involving almost 10 million people and also found that the risk of mental health issues typically increased when people ate more ultra-processed snacks.
High consumption has been linked to a 22 per cent raised risk of depression and doubles the danger of anxiety and poor sleep.
The study authors think that the findings show the need for "population-based approaches" to minimise the consumption of ultra-processed food and argue that the issue should be tackled in the same way that smoking has been.
Brazilian academic Professor Carlos Monteiro said: "It is now time for United Nations agencies, with member states, to develop and implement a framework convention on ultra-processed foods analogous to the framework on tobacco."