A medical expert is sounding the alarm on the harmful causes of ultra-processed foods as a U.S. teen launches a suit against multiple food giants. Â
18-year-old Bryce Martinez, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease at 16 after consuming ultra-processed foods throughout his childhood, is taking on eleven food manufacturers for allegedly engineering the foods to be addictive, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Â
"What is an ultra-processed food?," Dr. Marc Siegel explained on "America Reports". "It includes emulsifiers, preservatives, colorings, things that actually cause people to eat more of it – even if it's empty calories, high fructose corn sirup, salt and sugar, things that are very bad for you."Â
The medical expert explained that the foods are prevalent on supermarket shelves across the country. Â
"We've got to figure out a way to get healthy foods out there instead," he told Fox News. "I know they're more expensive, but maybe that's where supplement and money should come from to get the school lunches fixed, to get them where you have no alternative. People are going to eat. Kids are going to eat at school, but they might find a french fry tastier so they rush there, or something ultra colored. When you're very young, you know, trying to get Red Dye Three out of there because it looks so bright and cherry that young children are drawn to it. Very, very unhealthy!"Â
Evidence suggests these foods also lead to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and weight gain, the doctor explained.  Â
"It's a long haul to do this, but we got to start very young with children," he said. "(The) figure of over 40% of adults being obese, (and now) over 20% of children obese and that's starting down a treadmill."Â
