A JUNK FOOD EPIDEMIC

ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS ARE NOW A DAILY STAPLE, YET THEIR SERIOUS HEALTH CONSEQUENCES REMAIN OVERLOOKED. REGULATORS AND THE GOVERNMENT HAVE TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO CURB THIS GROWING MENACE

- BY SONAL KHETARPAL

A TIERED TIRAMISU OR A DOU-BLE-PATTY CHICKEN BURG-ER—JUST A GLANCE CAN SET OFF CRAVINGS.

That's no accident. Our brains are hardwired to seek sugar and salt, a relic of our hunter-gatherer past when such indulgences were rare but vital for survival.

But today, ultra-processed foods dominate our diets. Known as HFSS (high in fat, salt and sugar) foods—or simply junk food—they are factory-made, energy-dense and packed with additives like preservatives, sweeteners and emulsi-fiers—ingredients you don't typically find in home kitchens. They commonly masquerade as chocolates, sugary treats, salty snacks, beverages, ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat meals, instant noodles and ice cream. Once occasional treats, their easy reach—on kitchen shelves or through delivery apps—have turned them into a daily habit, and a dangerously addictive one. So much so that the Supreme Court, hearing a public interest litigation on April 9, gave the Centre a three-month deadline to make labelling on packaged food stronger. The move aims to raise public awareness about food intake and encourage informed choices.