Engineered to addict: What Big Tobacco and Big Food have in common

A major new study from the University of Michigan, Harvard, and Duke draws a direct line between the engineering of ultra-processed foods and the engineering of cigarettes — both designed to hijack the brain's reward system, maximize craving and make it nearly impossible to stop. The study comes as San Francisco sues 10 of the nation's biggest food manufacturers, RFK Jr. calls these products "poison," and researchers warn that ultra-processed foods now account for over half of the American diet.

The issue feels especially dire In Detroit, where 69% of households face food insecurity and unhealthy options outnumber healthy ones. Ashley Gearhardt, a clinical psychologist and addiction scientist at the University of Michigan and creator of the Yale Food Addiction Scale, is the lead author of the study. She joins Robyn Vincent on The Metro.

"The Metro" covers local and regional news and current affairs, arts and cultural events and topics, with a commitment to airing perspectives and uncovering stories underreported by mainstream media in Detroit.