We all need food to nourish us and help us grow and heal. This article investigates the extent to which the historic tobacco industry influences the processed foods that are currently available on store shelves. These hyper-palatable foods (HPFs) are highly addictive, stripped of vital nutrition, and filled with salt, sugar, and fat, and they are increasing the public health epidemic throughout industrialized countries.[1] In the late 1980s, Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds, the tobacco industry's main companies, bought three major processed food companies: General Foods, Kraft, and Nabisco. This made it possible for them to influence and overpower the modern-day food industry.
Tobacco companies utilized similar marketing strategies to promote both cigarettes and processed foods by employing tactics like targeting young demographics, using appealing imagery and celebrity endorsements, highly appealing commercials and music videos that are designed to create a sense of social acceptance, and most importantly, by creating products with "hyper-palatable" qualities, meaning they were engineered to be highly addictive through a carefully balanced mix of sugar, salt, and fat, mirroring the addictive nature of cigarettes. These qualities didn’t only reach our taste buds; they hit all our senses to get us hooked as young as possible before we knew any better.[2]
Hyperpalatable Foods: Tobacco-owned brands promoted hyperpalatable foods by strategically designing processed food products with high levels of salt, fat, and sugar, effectively manipulating the brain's reward system to create cravings and encourage overeating, essentially using similar marketing tactics they employed for cigarettes to hook consumers on these foods; this included targeting specific demographics and heavily advertising their products, often using appealing imagery and messaging to make these unhealthy options seem desirable.[6]
When eaten, hyper-palatable foods elicit high levels of dopamine that closely mirror other addictive products like nicotine and alcohol.[3]
Consuming hyper-palatable foods, which are engineered to be highly appealing and easy to overeat, can significantly increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease due to their high-calorie density, often containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt, and saturated fat, which can lead to weight gain, blood sugar imbalances, and elevated cholesterol levels when consumed regularly. Eating a carton of French fries is equivalent to smoking 25 cigarettes a day.[1] because of the harms of the overused trans-saturated fats used to fry the potatoes into French fries.
Tobacco companies like Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds acquired major food companies like Kraft, General Foods, and Nabisco in the 1980s, allowing them to significantly influence the food supply by developing "hyper-palatable" foods—highly processed, high in fat, sugar, and sodium, designed to be highly addictive. When they divested from the food industry by the mid-2000s, these products remained widely available, leaving a lasting legacy of unhealthy food options in the market today, even though the tobacco companies no longer own them.[4]
Current food consumption trends include a growing focus on plant-based diets, increased awareness of processed food harms, a desire for sustainable food choices, and a shift towards more diverse and culturally influenced cuisines; however, challenges persist in promoting healthy eating habits due to factors like the accessibility and affordability of nutritious food, aggressive marketing of processed foods, and a lack of nutrition education, particularly in marginalized communities.[5]
In conclusion, the intricate relationship between the tobacco and food industries has left an indelible mark on our dietary landscape. By acquiring major food companies and employing manipulative marketing strategies, tobacco giants like Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds not only introduced hyper-palatable foods into our diets but also shaped consumer behavior in ways that mirror their tactics for promoting cigarettes. As we grapple with the public health consequences of these engineered products—obesity, diabetes, and heart disease—it’s crucial to recognize the legacy of addiction that persists in today’s food supply. While current trends indicate a growing awareness of healthy eating and a shift towards more sustainable choices, the challenges remain formidable. Individuals, communities, and policymakers must advocate for better nutrition education and support systems prioritizing health over profit. We can only reclaim our food choices and work towards a healthier future by understanding this history.
Call to action for readers to be more mindful of their food choices and advocate for healthier food options.