A 2019 vaping-related health scare reshaped how many smokers view the risks of e-cigarettes – and those perceptions still linger today. New research from MUSC Hollings Cancer Center found that smokers came to see e-cigarettes as equally or more dangerous relative to combustible cigarettes, even after the true cause of the illness was identified, which may influence decisions about quitting or switching.

“That period really changed how people think about these products,” said lead researcher Tracy Smith, Ph.D., who co-leads the Hollings Cancer Prevention and Control Program. “Even after we learned more about what caused the illness, those perceptions didn’t fully reset.”

"Ultra-Processed Food and Health: From Mechanisms to Actions” brought together many of the world’s leading experts to examine one of the most pressing topics in nutrition science.

The symposium convened an international group of researchers, clinicians and policy experts to explore the rapidly evolving science surrounding ultra-processed foods and their impact on human health. Discussions spanned the biological mechanisms linking ultra-processed foods to chronic disease, the gaps in available research, the role of the food environment and industry practices, and opportunities for policy and public health action.