Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have received a ton of bad press in recent years, thanks in part to Dr Chris van Tulleken’s book on the topic, Ultra Processed People. A recent meta-analysis also found that UPFs have links to a host of health problems, including gut issues, anxiety and bad sleep. But is comparing an unhealthy snack to a habit known to cause several types of cancer helpful or even logical?

“When comparisons like these are made, it’s important to put them into context,” says Reema Pillai, nutritionist at Dietitian Fit. “Cigarette smoking increases the risk of lung cancer in men by 90% and up to 80% in women, while regular consumption of red and processed meat can increase colorectal cancer by up to 30%. While this [red and processed meat statistic] is still significant, it is much lower than the risk associated with smoking and cancer – not forgetting all other harmful effects of smoking aside from the cancer risk,” she adds.

As part of maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle, we should go easy on the UPFs. That includes things like ice cream, burgers, sausages and crisps – all of which can be eaten occasionally as part of a diet that consists mostly of a diverse range of plants and proteins. The World Health Organisation says eating 50g of processed meat a day increases your risk of developing bowel cancer by 7%, while fried foods are associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. But to put it in perspective, smoking is a leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide and increases the risk of lung cancer, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and stroke.

“There’s no safe level of smoking,” says Pillai. “Smoking cigarettes provides no nutritional value and is a primary habit which can easily develop into an addiction. However, eating food (even if less nutritious) still provides us with energy and some nutrients, as well as enjoyment – important factors to consider for our health and wellbeing.” 

Comparing junk food to smoking might seem like an annoying yet ultimately harmless trick used to grab our attention and scare us out of our eating habits, but according to Dr Veronika Matutyte from the Lithuanian University of Health Science, this kind of hyperbolic language can cause more damage than good. “This comparison can oversimplify complex health issues and may mislead people into thinking all unhealthy behaviours are equally harmful,” she says. “It can also reinforce diet culture’s binary view of food as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, potentially fostering unhealthy attitudes toward food and body image.”

Eating is a social activity and one of life’s great joys. Taking an all-or-nothing approach to the food we eat can get in the way of our relationships and daily life. Unlike your colleagues’ daily cigarette break, sharing the odd delicious fat-and-oil-slathered bag of chips with mates is a part of life you shouldn’t feel you have to ditch in your quest to become healthier. And even if you do smoke or have a crisps habit, moralising messages only serve to make people feel shame and don’t tend to help us live stronger, healthier lives. In fact, researchers have found that shame can reduce a smoker’s likelihood of quitting and it’s also associated with binge eating in women. 

“We need to remember that no single food can ‘pollute’ the body, and any food, when eaten in moderation, is still going to be better for us than smoking,” says Pillai, who agrees with Matutyte that framing food as ‘dirty’ helps breed a negative relationship to food. “Avoiding food that is seen as impure or dirty and only eating food that you can categorise as ‘clean’ will restrict eating choices and may create obsessive eating behaviours,” Pillai explains.

So next time someone tells you that munching on your favourite fried snack is like lighting up a pack of Marlboro, tell them it’s OK – you’re not going to smoke it, but you will be savouring every last bite.

Images: Getty