The book discusses ultra-processed food (UPF) and its effects on human health.
Van Tulleken asserts that UPF is a bigger cause of weight gain than sugar or a lack of exercise, and describes psychological and physiological effects of UPF on the human body.
He draws from conversations with scientists and experts within the food industry, and calls attention to the failure to rigorously state conflicts of interest in scientific papers regarding food, nutrition and their industries.
Van Tulleken also describes his own experience of living for an extended period on a diet of 80% UPF, with before and after measurements.
[4] Jerold Mande reviewed the book for Harvard Public Health.