HHS, FDA, and USDA Address Chronic Disease Epidemic Brought About by Ultra-Processed Foods

The agencies seek to create a uniform definition for ultra-processed foods that will be federally recognized.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in Washington on May 14, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Multiple federal agencies are uniting in an effort to tackle the health risks posed by ultra-processed foods to Americans, according to a July 23 joint statement.

The joint effort is a collaboration among the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The initiative is aimed at addressing the “growing concerns around ultra-processed foods and the current epidemic of diet-related chronic disease that is plaguing America.”