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Understanding the Links Between Ultra-Processed Foods, Chronic Disease, Corporate Power, and Growing Calls for Government Action

September 10, 2026 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am PDT

Co-Sponsored by Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (SAFSF), Global Alliance for the Future of Food (GA), and Health and Environmental Funders Network (HEFN).

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) make up half of U.S. adult diets — and close to 70% for children. New U.S.-focused research published in the American Journal of Public Health links UPF consumption to chronic disease, cognitive impairment, and addiction — and exposes how major tobacco companies engineered the modern UPF industry. As we learn more about the dangers that UPFs pose to public health and confront the corporate influence that makes them readily available, the need for public education and policy change becomes increasingly urgent.

In response, a growing movement of funders, together with doctors, scientists, educators, and policy advocates, launched FedUp! to realize a shared vision: a nation nourished by real food, not UPFs. This science-first public education movement translates UPF research for families, communities, and policymakers, promotes innovative collaboration among individuals and institutions, supports results-driven grantmaking, and offers a trusted platform for new philanthropic investment in this space.

Join this webinar to hear from expert scientists about how corporations have intentionally shaped the systems, products, and narratives behind UPFs, the policy reform landscape, and how to get involved with FedUP!

Speakers

  • Rachel Roller, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dohmen Company Foundation (Moderator)
  • Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus in the Sanford School of Public Policy Affiliate, Duke Global Health Institute
  • Scott Faber, Senior Vice President, Environmental Working Group
  • Ashley Gearhardt, Ph.D., Chair, Clinical Science Area, University of Michigan
  • Brad Leibov, President and Chief Executive Officer, EarthShare
  • Laura A. Schmidt, Ph.D., Professor, Institute for Health Policy Studies, School of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco
  • Lindsey Smith Taillie, Ph.D., Director, Global Food Research Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

This webinar is open to all funders.

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Areas of Impact:

Health  |   Human/Public Health  |   Nutrition  |   Justice  |   Food Access

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