A new Lancet Series highlights that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are contributing to a global rise in obesity and diabetes, a trend rapidly unfolding in India. Experts urge immediate policy action, including clear definitions, warning labels, and taxes on UPFs, to address the growing health burden. Representative image NEW DELHI: Instant noodles, chips, biscuits, packaged drinks and even “healthy” cereals — these ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have quietly become everyday staples in Indian homes. But a new three-paper Lancet Series warns that these factory-made, additive-loaded products are helping drive a global rise in obesity and diabetes — a trend already unfolding rapidly in India.The Series brings together global evidence, including a review of 104 studies, of which 92 linked UPF-heavy diets to chronic diseases. Meta-analyses of 15 health outcomes showed significant associations for 12, including type 2 diabetes, obesity and even depression. India has not conducted such studies, and therefore no Indian data could be included — a gap experts say the country can no longer ignore.For India, the findings demand urgent policy action, says Dr. Vandana Prasad, community paediatrician and technical advisor at Public Health Resource Society. She argues that UPFs cannot be regulated like ordinary junk food. “Companies reduce salt or sugar to dodge High in Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) limits, but the product remains ultra-processed because the additives stay,” she says. She calls for a clear legal definition of UPFs, strong front-of-pack warning labels, advertising restrictions, a UPF tax and subsidies for fresh foods, emphasising that healthy eating cannot depend on willpower alone when the entire food environment is engineered for overconsumption.Adding to this, Dr. Arun Gupta, paediatrician and Series co-author, says India is in the middle of the very shift the Lancet warns against — traditional meals being rapidly replaced by industrial UPFs promoted aggressively, especially to children. With no national data on UPF consumption, he cautions that India will struggle to slow rising obesity and diabetes unless it directly addresses the spread and marketing of such products.The scale of India’s health burden makes the warning even more urgent. The ICMR–INDIAB-17 (2023) study reports obesity in 28.6% of Indians, diabetes in 11.4%, prediabetes in 15.3%, and abdominal obesity in nearly 40%. Childhood obesity has increased as well — from 2.1% to 3.4% between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5.Prof K. Srinath Reddy, Chancellor, PHFI University of Public Health Sciences, notes that UPFs do more than add empty calories. By displacing natural foods, they can weaken immunity, heighten inflammation and worsen chronic disease risk. He supports strict regulation across production and marketing, clear ingredient disclosures, strong front-of-pack warning labels and a ban on celebrity endorsements of UPFs.With UPFs now deeply embedded in Indian diets — from school tiffins to office snacks to rural shops — experts warn that India stands at a critical juncture. The new Lancet evidence sends a clear message: reining in ultra-processed foods must become a national health priority if India hopes to contain rising obesity and diabetes.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia And Israel Launch FTA Talks; Piyush Goyal, Nir Barkat Sign Terms Of ReferenceDelhi’s Pollution Forces Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong To Cough, Stop Her Speech MidwayJaishankar Meets Afghan Commerce Minister Azizi In Delhi; Trade, Connectivity DiscussedMEA Outlines Agenda For PM Modi’s South Africa Visit For G20 Summit In JohannesburgPenny Wong’s Cricket Banter With Jaishankar Highlights Warm, Confident India-Australia PartnershipJaishankar, Penny Wong Send A Strong India-Australia Message To China And The World on Indo-PacificIFFI 2025 Opens With A Surprise As Korean Minister Sings Vande Mataram And Wins Standing OvationPiyush Goyal’s 10 D’s Pitch in Israel Recasts India As Future-Ready for Worldwide InvestmentsDelhi Student Suicide Case: Massive Protest Outside School After Note Alleges Harassment By TeachersPiyush Goyal Links India, Israel Through Shared Adversities, Predicts 7% Percent GDP Growth For FY26123Photostories10 Indian etiquette every child should learnReplace this with avocado: 7 local fruits that provide the same nutrients for less5 Japanese mindset shifts for a happier, lighter, less stressful lifeMeet the actress who once outshone Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit but saw her career collapse after a relationship with a star kid5 animals that made an epic comeback from the edge of extinctionRekha to Sharmila Tagore: 5 best celebrity-inspired saree styles for the modern mother-in-law10 nuts for kids for brain health and overall growthAkkineni Nagarjuna Rao shaping Telugu cinema with iconic performances and a magnetic presence on screenHow top Bollywood actresses are embracing a life changing new lifestyleFrom better brain function to stronger heart: 5 reasons why backward walking is excellent for you123Hot PicksDelhi AQI TodayBihar Minister List 2025Bihar CM Oath CeremonyGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingTravis KelceSavannah JamesGiannis AntetokounmpoTrevon DiggsJeanie BussAdin RossCandace OwensKona TakahashiKatie JohnsonOlivia Dunne
NEW DELHI: Instant noodles, chips, biscuits, packaged drinks and even “healthy” cereals — these ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have quietly become everyday staples in Indian homes. But a new three-paper Lancet Series warns that these factory-made, additive-loaded products are helping drive a global rise in obesity and diabetes — a trend already unfolding rapidly in India.The Series brings together global evidence, including a review of 104 studies, of which 92 linked UPF-heavy diets to chronic diseases. Meta-analyses of 15 health outcomes showed significant associations for 12, including type 2 diabetes, obesity and even depression. India has not conducted such studies, and therefore no Indian data could be included — a gap experts say the country can no longer ignore.For India, the findings demand urgent policy action, says Dr. Vandana Prasad, community paediatrician and technical advisor at Public Health Resource Society. She argues that UPFs cannot be regulated like ordinary junk food. “Companies reduce salt or sugar to dodge High in Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) limits, but the product remains ultra-processed because the additives stay,” she says. She calls for a clear legal definition of UPFs, strong front-of-pack warning labels, advertising restrictions, a UPF tax and subsidies for fresh foods, emphasising that healthy eating cannot depend on willpower alone when the entire food environment is engineered for overconsumption.Adding to this, Dr. Arun Gupta, paediatrician and Series co-author, says India is in the middle of the very shift the Lancet warns against — traditional meals being rapidly replaced by industrial UPFs promoted aggressively, especially to children. With no national data on UPF consumption, he cautions that India will struggle to slow rising obesity and diabetes unless it directly addresses the spread and marketing of such products.The scale of India’s health burden makes the warning even more urgent. The ICMR–INDIAB-17 (2023) study reports obesity in 28.6% of Indians, diabetes in 11.4%, prediabetes in 15.3%, and abdominal obesity in nearly 40%. Childhood obesity has increased as well — from 2.1% to 3.4% between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5.Prof K. Srinath Reddy, Chancellor, PHFI University of Public Health Sciences, notes that UPFs do more than add empty calories. By displacing natural foods, they can weaken immunity, heighten inflammation and worsen chronic disease risk. He supports strict regulation across production and marketing, clear ingredient disclosures, strong front-of-pack warning labels and a ban on celebrity endorsements of UPFs.With UPFs now deeply embedded in Indian diets — from school tiffins to office snacks to rural shops — experts warn that India stands at a critical juncture. The new Lancet evidence sends a clear message: reining in ultra-processed foods must become a national health priority if India hopes to contain rising obesity and diabetes.
