The idea of junk food is an enduring concept that food policy advocates refresh endlessly to keep it in the public consciousness. Currently, the term of art is “ultra-processed.” Today, another study is commanding headlines to tell us these are bad foods. In this instance, the bad news is an association with 67% greater risk of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes.

This thinking is hardly new. The 20^th century concept of junk food, defined as highly processed, calorie-dense, and nutrient-poor food, largely dates back to the 1950s. Its popularization and precise definition occurred in the 1970s. This specific term is relatively modern. But the idea of “cheat food” – items lacking nutritional value – has roots that go back for centuries

Early Precursors

The specific expression of “junk food” may be an artifact of the 20th century, but its origins reach back at least to the 18th century.

• 18th Century. Sailors used the word “junk” to describe salty, near-indestructible beef, which earned a reputation for being low-quality food.
• Industrial Revolution. The 19th century introduced industrialized production of white flour, which has low fiber content and high carbohydrates, creating a precursor to modern unhealthy snacks.

Milestones in Junk Food

• Late 19th/Early 20th Century. The industrialization of food led to the first mass-marketed “junk food” items, such as Cracker Jack (popcorn, peanuts, and molasses), which was registered for trademark in 1896. Other early staples included sugary sodas and refined white-flour products.
• 1910s–1940s. Newspaper mentions of “cheat food” to describe unhealthy treats (white flour, refined sugar, candy, soda) trace back to at least 1916. World War II-era innovations in shelf-stable food (like Spam) paved the way for processed convenience foods in the post-war era.
• 1950s. The term “junk food” first appeared in the early 1950s as a result of social changes, such as the rise of the automobile and suburbanization. This fueled the popularity of fast food. In 1952, the Lima News ran a headline stating: “‘Junk Foods’ Cause Serious Malnutrition.”
• 1970s. The term “junk food” was defined and popularized by microbiologist Michael F. Jacobson in 1972, who was then director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Key Drivers

• Wartime Innovation. Technologies developed during WWII for packaging and preserving food – like canned meals – came into commercial use after the war, promoting the “convenience” of eating junk food.
• Marketing. Food manufacturers began heavily marketing branded snacks like Twinkies (1930) and later Oreo cookies, transforming them into staple popular culture items.
• Fast Food Proliferation. The 1950s boom in fast food, led by the rapid expansion of McDonald’s, solidified items like hamburgers and fries as staples in the American diet.

Moving Targets: Junk, Fat, Sugar, and Ultra-Processing

For two decades, beginning in the 1980s, dietary guidance became increasingly focused on high-fat foods as the most problematic “junk” foods. The millennium marked a shift to a preoccupation with sugar as the toxic element of unhealthy diets. More recently, the focus of dietary disapproval returned to something more aligned with Jacobson’s original definition for junk food. Now, according to the 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, ultra-processed food is the core problem for our dietary health.

The solution is easy. Eat more real foods. Why have we not thought of this before?

Click here for the new study associating ultra-processed foods with heart risk and here for perspective on its place in our diets. For more on the history of junk foods, click here.

A Timeline for the Evolution of Junk Food, illustration for ConscienHealth