What Do Nova and the Ultraprocessed Food Concept Offer to Policymakers? From Updating Dietary Guidance to Regulatory Action and Advancing Sustainable Food System Transitions.

Abstract

This article outlines applications of the Nova food classification system in policies aimed at reducing the share of ultraprocessed food (UPF) in population diets. Such policies are lagging far behind the growing scientific and public attention to UPFs and the mounting evidence of their harms, reflecting industry opposition and institutional inertia but also valid scientific critiques and policy concerns. We examine how Nova and the UPF concept can inform and improve dietary guidance, dietary monitoring and target-setting, food regulation, and sustainable food system transitions. We position UPF-based policies as complementary to, rather than in competition with, existing policies aimed at addressing dietary nutrient imbalances, offering a constructive way forward to enhance the promotion of healthy diets and facilitate the transition to healthier and sustainable food systems. (<i>Am J Public Health</i>. 2026;116(7):932-939. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308509).