Greg Stanton, former U.S. Secretary of Health, has taken on the fight against unhealthy foods in Brussels as part of the "Make America Healthy Again" campaign. This campaign, abbreviated as MAHA, focuses on packaged and mass-produced foods.
Support from the European Commission
Oliver Varhelyi, European Union Commissioner for Health, has strongly supported Stanton's efforts and stated that Europe and the United States share a common goal in addressing unhealthy diets. In a LinkedIn message following his attendance at the Transatlantic Business Summit in Brussels, he said: "I welcome the increased attention to this issue from the United States, particularly from Secretary of Health Greg Stanton."
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However, defining what constitutes ultra-processed foods and whether and how they should be regulated is challenging. There is increasing research showing the link between ultra-processed foods and diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Yet, translating this evidence into public health policies without dictating what people should eat is difficult.
Challenges and Conflicting Opinions
The food industry emphasizes the protection of personal choice, while public health advocates argue that many choices are influenced by social inequalities. This has led to a standoff between health advocates and large food companies across several continents. Overall, there is a growing global trend towards regulating ultra-processed foods.
The World Health Organization is also preparing new tools to assist policymakers in this area. In a recent report, the organization criticized similar strategies that the alcohol and tobacco industries use to influence systems.
Meanwhile, health advocates in Europe believe that Brussels must take action, but there is disagreement on the appropriate tools and how to compare with the tobacco industry. They are seeking to impose taxes on unhealthy foods and advertising restrictions for children.
The European Commission is currently awaiting the results of a study on the potential health risks of ultra-processed foods, which is set to be published in March 2027. Until then, the Commission is reluctant to judge the outcomes and has emphasized that it has no intention of determining what citizens should eat.
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