Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Something went wrong, please try again later. A leading physician has raised the alarm on the Diary of a CEO podcast, suggesting that a commonly eaten food might be even more lethal than smoking. BBC science host and infection disease expert Dr Chris van Tulleken – who happens to have an identical twin brother, also in the medical spotlight, Dr Xand of BBC Morning Live – left the show's audience including presenter Steven Bartlett astounded with his shocking claims. Speaking about his recent project "Ultra-Processed People," Dr Chris pinpointed the historic confusion over what constitutes healthy eating: "For a very long time, we have been incredibly confused about what to eat," he said. READ MORE: 'My mum died of cancer after doctors said bowel changes were down to diet' He calls out the misnomer given to dangerous foods: "We've called the foods that harm us junk food and processed food - high fat, salt and sugar food. We've not had a way of labeling food even as a pandemic of disease has taken over the world," reports Birmingham Live. Further to adding that this problem is global, affecting impoverished countries and socioeconomically strained communities in Britain alike, he said: "This is particularly true in low income countries and particularly true with low income people living in the UK." Dr Chris alerts to the dire effects of diets laden with ultra-processed foodstuff (UPF): "So poor diet, which means a diet high and ultra processed foods (UPF), has overtaken tobacco as a leading cause of early death on planet Earth for humans, for the animals we farm and for wild animals." He delved into the environmental toll of such diets, stating: "This is because ultra-processed food is produced by a food system that is the leading cause of loss of biodiversity and the second-leading cause of carbon emissions and the leading cause of plastic pollution. "So about 12 years ago, the definition was developed to describe a western industrial American diet. And it was done by a team in Brazil, and much of the best work on this stuff has been done by teams in Central and South America." He pointed out that in countries like Mexico, Columbia and Brazil, "obesity was essentially unheard of and within a decade, it went to being the dominant public health problem". Where obesity was once uncommon, in just a decade, "everyone would know someone who had an amputation for type two diabetes." So what's changed? The doctor elaborated: "The only thing that has changed was the influx of, broadly an American diet of industrial processed foods. The definition was invented in 2009/2010 and we've had a decade evidence now that is very clear that it is ultra processed food that is responsible, not just for pandemic weight gain and obesity, but also for a long list of other health problems, including early death." He underscored the addictive nature of UPFs, comparing them to substances like tobacco, alcohol, gambling, and drugs for some individuals, and highlighted that his assertion is backed by research. The expert warned that "nagging" someone to give up junk food doesn't work and may even have the opposite effect, pushing individuals towards unhealthy behaviours. He underscored: "High UPF consumption is associated with an increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases and mental health disorders." Furthermore, he pointed out: "At present, not a single study reported an association between UPF intake and a beneficial health outcome. These findings suggest that dietary patterns with low consumption of UPFs may render broad public health benefits." A viewer was moved by the expert's advice shared in a video, commenting on YouTube: "I cannot overstate how much Chris has changed my life in the space of just 5 months. In early June I watched a podcast in which he was a guest and he spoke about the same topic." They elaborated on their lifestyle overhaul since 6th June 2023, saying: "Since the 6th June 2023, I've cut out ultra-processed food almost entirely from my diet. Initially I thought it'd be impossible to find foods without crap in it but it's actually been really easy." Adding details about their healthier choices, they shared: "When I fancy a snack I have an apple or a few grapes, or some nuts. I have a variety of home cooked meals every night." The viewer also described their alternative breakfast options: "For breakfast I have a 'full fat' natural yoghurt (containing just milk) and occasionally I'll have toast with a organic jam or scrambled eggs on the weekend (bread sourced from a bakery). "The home cooked meals aren't what people would consider particularly healthy (plenty of meat, cheese, starchy foods) and I've not cut down on portion sizes. "In the last five months I've gone from 112KG to 99.9 KG (as of yesterday). The only other lifestyle change I've made is to take a one-hour walk every week day. Other than this, I've done no other exercise in the last 5 months whatsoever."