you are being skeptical in a very silly way, sorry to say. if you don't see the industry incentives to use trash in your food instead of normal ingredients, you are missing the point in a very unproductive way.
Two people can eat the same number of calories, but if one of them is slamming UPFs they will gain more weight.
Additionally, UPFs do not satiate hunger like more natural foods. Meaning people can eat more UPFs than more natural foods before feeling full.
There are absolutely industrial ingredients we should be banning in the US that other countries have rightfully banned.
Come to me with scientific evidence and not fear mongering, and then we can talk on an equal field.