Processed Food, Childhood Diabetes & Fatty Liver Disease: What Families Need to Know

Ultra Processed Food Lawsuits: A Potential Wave of Future Litigation For Those with Childhood Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

At The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP, we have protected the rights of injury victims for more than 55 years—recovering billions of dollars on their behalf. While we are not currently handling lawsuits regarding childhood type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) linked to ultra-processed foods, we are closely monitoring this emerging area of potential litigation. With alarming rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, and liver disease on the rise, legal accountability for major food manufacturers may soon become a reality.

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The Growing Public Health Crisis

Ultra-Processed Food Addiction

Recent research estimates that 15% of youth worldwide may be affected by ultra-processed food (UPF) addiction. These heavily marketed, mass-produced products—often loaded with sugars, refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and chemical additives—can alter brain-gut-microbiome functioning and lead to withdrawal-like symptoms. Vulnerable populations, including children, persons of color, and those experiencing food insecurity, are disproportionately affected.

Childhood Type 2 Diabetes and NAFLD

• Type 2 Diabetes in Children: Once a rarity among youth, type 2 diabetes is now shockingly common. The condition can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, and nerve damage over a child’s lifetime.
• Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): Characterized by a buildup of fat in the liver, NAFLD can progress to inflammation, scarring, or even liver failure if untreated. Diets high in sugars, refined oils, and other processed ingredients significantly increase the risk of NAFLD.

Parents and families are beginning to question the role of ultra-processed food manufacturers in creating and marketing these products, opening the door for future lawsuits against companies that allegedly prioritize profits over children’s health.

Food Industry Giants Under Scrutiny

Several major corporations have been identified as key players in the ultra-processed food industry:

• Coca-Cola
• PepsiCo
• Nestlé
• General Mills
• Kellogg’s
• Mars, Inc.
• Conagra Brands
• Danone
• Mondelez International
• Post Holdings
• Unilever
• The Kraft Heinz Company
• Campbell Soup Company
• McDonald’s Corporation (ultra-processed ingredients in menu items)
• Tyson Foods (frozen meals, processed chicken products)
• Hormel Foods (canned goods, processed meats)

1. Coca-Cola Company

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Coca-Cola (Classic, Diet Coke, Coke Zero)
  • Sprite (Sprite Zero)
  • Fanta (various fruit flavors)
  • Minute Maid (juices, juice drinks)
  • Powerade (sports drinks)
  • Vitaminwater (enhanced waters)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Full-Sugar Sodas (e.g., Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta)
  • Sweetened Juice Drinks (Minute Maid varieties with added sugars)
  • Sports/Energy Drinks (Powerade, certain Vitaminwater flavors)

2. PepsiCo

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Pepsi (Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Zero Sugar)
  • Mountain Dew (various flavors)
  • Gatorade (sports drinks)
  • Tropicana (juices, juice blends)
  • Lay’s / Doritos / Cheetos / Tostitos (chips & salty snacks)
  • Quaker Oats (cereals, snack bars)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Sweetened Beverages (Pepsi, Mountain Dew)
  • Flavored Chips & Snacks (Doritos, Cheetos)
  • Sugary Cereals & Bars (select Quaker products)

3. Nestlé

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Nescafé (instant coffee)
  • Nesquik (chocolate milk powders, syrups)
  • KitKat, Crunch, Aero (chocolate & candy)
  • Gerber (baby food)
  • Maggi (seasonings, soups)
  • Purina (pet foods)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Candy Bars (KitKat, Crunch)
  • Sweetened Drink Powders (Nesquik)
  • Instant Soups & Seasonings (Maggi with additives)

4. General Mills

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch (cereals)
  • Betty Crocker (baking mixes, meal kits)
  • Pillsbury (ready-to-bake doughs, biscuits)
  • Totino’s (frozen pizzas, pizza rolls)
  • Yoplait, Go-GURT (yogurt products)
  • Nature Valley (granola bars)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Sweet Breakfast Cereals (Lucky Charms, Trix)
  • Cake & Brownie Mixes (Betty Crocker)
  • Frozen Pizza Rolls (Totino’s)

5. Kellogg’s

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies, Froot Loops, Special K (cereals)
  • Pop-Tarts (toaster pastries)
  • Eggo (frozen waffles, pancakes)
  • MorningStar Farms (plant-based meats)
  • Cheez-It, Pringles (snacks)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Sugary Cereals (Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops)
  • Toaster Pastries (Pop-Tarts)
  • Snack Chips (Pringles)

6. Mars, Inc.

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • M&M’s, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, Skittles (candies)
  • Ben’s Original (formerly Uncle Ben’s rice)
  • Orbit, Extra (gum)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Chocolate & Sugary Candies (M&M’s, Snickers)
  • Chewing Gum (Orbit, Extra with artificial sweeteners)

7. Conagra Brands

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Banquet (frozen dinners)
  • Marie Callender’s (frozen meals & pies)
  • Healthy Choice (frozen meals)
  • Slim Jim (processed snack meats)
  • Duncan Hines (cake mixes, frostings)
  • Orville Redenbacher’s (microwave popcorn)
  • Reddi-wip (whipped toppings)
  • Gardein (plant-based proteins)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Frozen Dinners (Banquet, Marie Callender’s)
  • Processed Snack Meats (Slim Jim)
  • Microwave Popcorn (Orville Redenbacher’s)

8. Danone

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Dannon, Activia, Danimals, Oikos (yogurt products)
  • Silk, So Delicious (plant-based dairy alternatives)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Sweetened Yogurts (Danimals)
  • Flavored Plant-Based Milks (some Silk / So Delicious varieties with added sugar)

9. Mondelez International

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Oreo, Chips Ahoy!, Nilla Wafers, Belvita (cookies and biscuits)
  • Ritz, Triscuit, Wheat Thins (crackers)
  • Cadbury, Milka, Toblerone (chocolates in various regions)
  • Sour Patch Kids (candies, certain markets)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Sandwich Cookies (Oreo)
  • Chocolate Bars (Cadbury, Toblerone)
  • Sugary Candies (Sour Patch Kids)

10. Post Holdings

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Post Cereals: Honey Bunches of Oats, Fruity Pebbles, Grape-Nuts, Raisin Bran
  • Bob Evans (ready-made meals, side dishes)
  • Michael Foods (egg products)
  • Peter Pan (peanut butter)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Sugary Cereals (Fruity Pebbles)
  • Microwaveable Breakfasts (Bob Evans)
  • Sweetened Peanut Butter (Peter Pan with added sugars/oils)

11. Unilever

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Hellmann’s (mayonnaise, dressings)
  • Knorr (soups, seasoning packets)
  • Lipton (tea, in partnerships for ready-to-drink versions)
  • Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Breyers (ice cream)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Mayo & Dressings (Hellmann’s with additives)
  • Packaged Soups & Seasonings (Knorr)
  • Sweetened Ice Cream (Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum bars)

12. The Kraft Heinz Company

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Kraft (cheese products, Mac & Cheese)
  • Heinz (ketchup, condiments)
  • Oscar Mayer (hot dogs, lunch meats)
  • Philadelphia (cream cheese)
  • Velveeta (processed cheese)
  • Capri Sun (juice pouches), Kool-Aid (drink mixes)
  • Maxwell House (coffee), Jell-O (gelatin, pudding)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Boxed Macaroni & Cheese (Kraft)
  • Processed Cheese (Velveeta)
  • Sugary Drinks (Capri Sun, Kool-Aid)
  • Packaged Luncheon Meats (Oscar Mayer)

13. Campbell Soup Company

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Campbell’s (soups, broths, SpaghettiOs)
  • Swanson (broths, canned poultry)
  • Prego (pasta sauces)
  • Pace (salsa)
  • Pepperidge Farm (Goldfish crackers, cookies), Snyder’s-Lance (pretzels, chips)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Canned Soups & Pasta (Campbell’s, SpaghettiOs)
  • Snack Crackers (Goldfish)
  • Cookies & Pretzels (Pepperidge Farm, Snyder’s)

14. McDonald’s Corporation

• Key Sub-Brands / Menu Lines:
  • Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, McChicken, Filet-O-Fish
  • Chicken McNuggets
  • McCafé (coffee, sweet drinks)
  • Happy Meal (kids’ meals)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Chicken McNuggets (processed chicken, breading)
  • Sauces & Dressings (high in additives)
  • Breakfast Sandwiches (processed meats, cheese)

15. Tyson Foods

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Tyson (breaded chicken nuggets, strips)
  • Jimmy Dean (sausages, breakfast sandwiches)
  • Hillshire Farm (lunch meats, smoked sausages)
  • Ball Park (hot dogs)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Breaded Chicken Products (Tyson Nuggets)
  • Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches (Jimmy Dean)
  • Hot Dogs & Sausages (Ball Park, Hillshire Farm)

16. Hormel Foods

• Key Sub-Brands:
  • Hormel (canned chili, meats)
  • SPAM (canned meat)
  • Jennie-O (turkey products)
  • Skippy (peanut butter)
  • Applegate (in some markets, more “natural”/organic lines)
• Most Ultra-Processed Items:
  • Canned Meats (SPAM, Hormel chili)
  • Processed Turkey Products (some Jennie-O varieties)
  • Sweetened Peanut Butter (Skippy with added sugars/oils)

Some of these brands have corporate ties to Big Tobacco, prompting allegations that they use similar strategies—like manipulating formulas to maximize “craveability”—and targeting vulnerable children with intense advertising.

Could Food Manufacturers Be Held Accountable?

Parallels to Tobacco Litigation

Lawsuits targeting ultra-processed food manufacturers draw comparisons to the historic tobacco lawsuits. In both scenarios, allegations revolve around:

1. Engineered Addictiveness: Companies allegedly use advanced research to design products that provoke dependency.
2. Aggressive Marketing: Vulnerable populations, especially children, are targeted through highly persuasive advertising.
3. Concealed Risks: Internal research may have shown the health dangers, yet companies continued to market aggressively.

As with tobacco and, more recently, opioid litigation, processed food lawsuits could lead to significant industry reforms—and potentially to compensation for affected families.

Are You or Your Child Eligible for Compensation?

If your child has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease after regularly consuming ultra-processed foods, you may wonder if legal action is possible? Contact us for a free case evaluation. As the legal landscape evolves, families may have grounds for litigation against food manufacturers that allegedly misled the public about the dangers of their products.

Protective Steps Families Can Take Now

Regardless of ongoing or future lawsuits, prevention remains crucial. Families can:

1. Emphasize Whole Foods: Choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins as dietary staples.
2. Limit Sugary Drinks: Swap sodas and sweetened beverages for water or unsweetened tea.
3. Cook at Home: Control ingredients and reduce dependency on packaged meals.
4. Read Labels: Watch for high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and additives.
5. Seek Nutritional Education: Resources such as MyPlate.gov, the Harvard School of Public Health, and the American Heart Association offer evidence-based guidance.

Looking Ahead: How Litigation Could Shape Public Health

At The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP, our team has witnessed how large-scale litigation—like that against Big Tobacco—can force companies to change harmful practices. By bringing deceptive or harmful industry behaviors to light, lawsuits can:

• Spur corporations to disclose known health risks more transparently.
• Halt predatory marketing campaigns aimed at children.
• Encourage product reformulations and healthier alternatives.

Childhood type 2 diabetes and NAFLD represent urgent public health concerns. Legal accountability could play a pivotal role in creating a safer food environment for future generations.

About The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP

With over 55 years of experience and billions won for our clients, The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP is committed to fighting for justice and advocating for consu1-800-624-8888mer protection. Our attorneys stand ready to evaluate claims against ultra-processed food manufacturers becomes more clearly defined.

Stay Informed. Stay Protected.
If you believe your child’s type 2 diabetes or NAFLD diagnosis could be linked to ultra-processed foods, keep monitoring medical advice and potential legal developments. Should you need legal guidance on any other injury-related matter, our dedicated team at The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP is here to help.

For more information about our firm or to discuss a potential claim, visit InjuryLawyer.com or call us at 1-800-624-8888.