In a bold move that transcends typical partisan divides, California lawmakers introduced groundbreaking legislation on March 19 to eliminate ultra-processed foods from public school meals, acknowledging these products "have far more in common with a cigarette than they do a fruit or vegetable."

The bipartisan bill, Assembly Bill 1264 (AB-1264), would establish the nation's first statutory definition of ultra-processed foods and create a systematic approach to remove harmful products from school cafeterias by 2032.

Democratic Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who introduced the bill alongside Republican Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher, emphasized that "protecting our kids from harm is, and always should be, a bipartisan issue." This rare display of cross-party cooperation underscores the growing recognition of food safety as a critical public health concern that supersedes political differences.

Science shows alarming health impacts

Mounting scientific evidence has linked ultra-processed foods to 32 different health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, mental health disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. These troubling connections have prompted experts to sound the alarm about products that dominate American diets and school cafeterias.

"We have not done enough to protect children from ultra-processed foods and beverages that have far more in common with a cigarette than they do a fruit or vegetable," said Ashley Gearhardt, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and director of the school's Food Addiction Science & Treatment Lab. She called the bill a "courageous step forward" toward treating ultra-processed foods like the serious health threats they are.

The legislation comes amid alarming statistics showing that approximately one in five U.S. children between ages 2 and 19 are obese. Research indicates that ultra-processed foods, which typically contain preservatives, sweeteners, and artificial flavors, may be engineered to interfere with brain signals that prevent overeating.

"The foods that we see that people show the common signs of addiction with are those ultra-processed foods that are high in both carbohydrates and fats in a way that we don't see in nature, and at levels that we don't see in nature," Gearhardt explained.