Ultra-processed foods – think packaged snacks, frozen meals and hot dogs – have become dietary staples due to their convenience, affordability and aggressive marketing. However, these foods have low to no nutritional value and can contribute to significant health issues like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and colorectal cancer. In this episode of Further Together, three of ORAU’s subject matter experts – Diane Krause, Brenda Blunt and Jennifer Reynolds – talk about a recently published white paper on social listening and perceptions of ultra-processed foods. Improving diet quality is a critical goal of the Make America Healthy Again Agenda promulgated by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., U.S. Health and Human Services secretary. Our experts talk in detail about the white paper and what their findings mean for future research and policy initiatives.

A feature story on the white paper, Insights from Social Media Conversations on X about Ultra-Processed Foods and Recommendations for Health Communications, along with a link to the paper itself, can be found here: https://www.orau.org/blog/programs/maha-gaining-insight-into-what-people-think-about-ultra-processed-foods-through-social-listening.html