Syllabus: GS2/ Health
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- India is seeing the fastest ultra-processed food (UPF) sales growth, which is surging obesity and diabetes cases, according to The Lancet.
- India surged from $0.9 billion in 2006 to nearly $38 billion in 2019 — a forty-fold rise.
What is Ultra-processed Food (UPF)?
- Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrially manufactured food products that go through multiple processing steps and contain ingredients not typically used in home cooking, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, colorants, flavorings, and synthetic additives.
- They are designed to be highly palatable, convenient, and profitable but usually have low nutritional value, being high in calories, added sugars, salt, and unhealthy fats.
- Diets high in UPFs are linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and certain cancers.
Reasons for Rise in Consumption
- Urbanization and busier lifestyles have increased demand for convenience and quick meals.
- Higher disposable incomes and aggressive marketing campaigns by food companies promote UPFs.
- Increased employment, particularly of women outside the home, reduces time available for home cooking.
- Globalization and mass production make UPFs widely available and affordable compared to traditional foods.
Suggestions
- Regulatory Measures: Governments need to adopt strong regulations targeting UPF production, marketing, and public disclosure of ingredients.
- Taxation: Imposing higher taxes on UPFs is recommended to discourage their purchase and consumption.
- Public Awareness and Education: Increasing nutritional literacy among consumers to enable informed food choices and reduce misinformation caused by aggressive UPF marketing.
- Restrict UPFs in Public Institutions: Ban UPFs in schools, anganwadis, hostels, hospitals, government offices, and military establishments. Replace them with freshly prepared, minimally processed meals.
| Government Initiatives to Curb UP – FFSSAI’s Eat Right India Movement: Promotes minimal processing, hygiene, and local foods. – Public Health Campaigns: “Swasth Bharat Yatra,” “Poshan Maah” focusing on nutrition literacy. – Trans Fat Regulation: FSSAI limited industrial trans fats to 2% in oils/fats. Aligned with WHO’s REPLACE strategy to eliminate trans fats globally. – Research & Dietary Guidelines: ICMR-NIN revised dietary guidelines (2024) emphasize cutting down UPFs. – PDS & Mid-Day Meal Improvements: Push for fresh, minimally processed foods in ICDS, Anganwadi, and PM-POSHAN schemes. |
Source: TOI
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