 "The epidemic of ultra-processed food in the developing world")
A recent report from the Public Eye and the International Baby Food Action Network reveals that baby food products have significantly higher sugar content in India, Africa, and Latin America compared to their European counterparts. The study, conducted in a Belgian laboratory, examined 150 products globally. Specifically, it found that Cerelac products for six-month-olds, which contain no added sugars in the UK and Germany, have 2.7 grams of added sugar per serving in India, and nearly 6 grams in Ethiopia and Thailand. In India, union Ministry of Consumer Affairs as instructed FSSAI to initiate “appropriate action” against the manufacturer.
This issue raises three broader concerns. First, children in the developing world, especially where the regulatory frameworks are not as mature as that of Europe, are subtly nudged from a very young age to develop a taste for certain high levels of sugar. Getting accustomed to a high level of sugar from a very early age can lead to a future preference for sugary products due to a range of biological, psychological, and behavioural mechanisms. Regular exposure to sugar alters taste receptors, enhancing tolerance and preference for sweetness, and activates the brain’s reward system, increasing the desirability of sugary foods through the release of dopamine. This establishes a pattern of eating behaviours that are difficult to change, as habitual consumption of high-sugar foods leads to intense cravings and a psychological association of sweetness with positive reinforcement. High intake of sugar in the human body leads to rapid spikes in blood glucose levels, which can disrupt insulin regulation and increase the risk of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and obesity.
The second concern is the widespread prevalence of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in developing countries, particularly in India. This troubling trend has been flagged by the 2023 WHO report “The growth of UPFs”, painting a grim picture of dietary shifts. Between 2011 and 2021, the market for these foods grew at an alarming compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of\ 13.37%. The sector is poised for a 39% share by 2032. Categories such as chocolate and sugar confectionery, salty snacks, beverages, ready-made meals, and breakfast cereals dominate this surge. Particularly concerning is the rapid recovery and growth of salty snacks and convenience foods post-COVID-19, indicating a shift towards less healthy eating habits amid the pandemic’s lifestyle changes. In these pages, we discussed how excessive salt intake is taking a toll on health outcomes in India.
The massive intake of these foods, often high in sugars, salts, and additives, raises significant health concerns. A seminal 2019 study published in the Journal, Cell Metabolism, demonstrated a direct causal link between UPF consumption and weight gain among 20 adults with an average age of 31 and a BMI of 27. Participants alternated between diets of ultra-processed and unprocessed foods every two weeks, with meals equal in calories, macronutrients, and fibre. Results showed a significant increase in daily energy intake by about 508 calories on the ultra-processed diet, mainly from carbohydrates and fats, leading to an average weight gain of 0.9 kg. Conversely, they lost the same amount of weight on the unprocessed diet.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAn extensive review published in the Journal, Nutrients, analyzed 43 studies focusing on healthy individuals and consistently found that UPF consumption is linked to numerous adverse health outcomes. Among adults, the health issues linked to UPFs include obesity, cardio-metabolic risks, cancer, type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, frailty conditions, and increased all-cause mortality. In children and adolescents, UPF consumption has been associated with cardio-metabolic risks and asthma. No studies found any health benefits from UPFs.
In India too, the impact of consumption of UPFs is evident. The data from Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2022-23 and NFHS-5 indicate a significant correlation between the rising expenditure on processed foods and increasing obesity rates nationwide. Over the past two decades, there has been a notable shift from spending on traditional staples like cereals, vegetables, and pulses to higher expenditures on processed foods. This shift is observed in urban and rural areas, with urban spending on processed foods rising from 6.4% to 10.5%, and rural from 4.2% to 9.4%. Between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5—the obesity rates increased from 21% to 24% among women and from 19% to 23% among men. This trend suggests that the adoption of processed foods is contributing to the growing obesity epidemic in India. No wonder India has been deemed as “diabetic capital of the world”, accounting for more than 17% of diabetes patients in the world.
The third issue centres on food MNCs acting as modern colonizers through aggressive marketing and distribution of ultra-processed foods laden with unhealthy additives in developing countries. They are reshaping traditional diets and creating a dependency on processed foods, akin to historical colonial tactics that modified colonised regions’ economies and social structures to suit colonizers’ interests. This modern dietary colonization contributes significantly to the global obesity epidemic, with severe health consequences like diabetes and heart disease disproportionately affecting lower-income countries.
Multinational pharmaceutical companies’ recent introduction of anti-obesity medications adds a paradoxical twist. While these medications offer a means to combat obesity and its health risks, providing relief and potential recuperation, they also introduce a new dependency, mirroring the exploitation by food multinationals. As these pharmaceuticals address health issues originating from the products of food corporations, they also generate profit from the ensuing health crises, continuing a cycle of colonial-like exploitation under the guise of health aid. Governments across the developing world need to do more to (a) strengthen regulatory frameworks to ensure that food products, especially those targeted at children, meet stringent nutritional standards and (b) nudge populations to adopt healthier dietary practices and shift back to traditional diets.
Aditya Sinha (X: @adityasinha004) is Officer on Special Duty, Research, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.
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