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High intake of fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) is closely related to the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) globally which include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. At least 43 million people were killed in 2021, accounting for approximately 75% of non-pandemic-related deaths globally. 18 million people died of an NCD before the age of 70 in 2021; low- and middle-income nations accounted for 82% of these premature deaths (1).
The WHO identifies unhealthy diets, particularly HFSS-rich diets as major risk factors for NCDs, resulting in metabolic imbalances like high blood pressure, elevated glucose, obesity, which develop NCD risk (1). Adolescents and young adults are at risk of obesity and diabetes, as they tend to consume HFSS foods such as sugar-sweetened beverages and high-fat snacks due to lifestyle changes and marketing influences. The prevalence of HFSS foods has exacerbated the triple burden of malnutrition in India i.e. under-nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and over-nutrition (3).
Public health initiatives, such as front-of-pack nutrition labels and health promotions, should help mitigate these risks by encouraging healthy food choices. Policy measures like taxation on HFSS products have been proposed to reduce their intake (3) By tackling the root causes of HFSS consumption, the burden of NCDs can be alleviated and population health outcomes improved.
References
- World. (2024, December 23). Noncommunicable diseases. Who.int; World Health Organization: WHO. //www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases
- Thapsuwan, S., Phulkerd, S., Chamratrithirong, A., Gray, R. S., Jindarattanaporn, N., Loyfah, N., Thongcharoenchupong, N., & Pattaravanich, U. (2024). Relationship between consumption of high fat, sugar or sodium (HFSS) food and obesity and non-communicable diseases. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, 7(1), e000794. //doi.org/10.1136/bmjnph-2023-000794
- Panchal, M., Jani, J., Akhani, T., Student, M., Head, S., & Pias, D. (2021). HFSS (HIGH-FAT, SALT, AND SUGAR) INTAKE THROUGH MEALS, SNACKS, AND BEVERAGES AMONG ADOLESCENT. 9, 2320–2882. //ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2105690.pdf
Posted : March 29, 2025 8:31 am
Taxing HFSS foods is one of the solutions that was provided by the researchers. It could mitigate rising diet-related diseases and morbidity in India and reduce healthcare costs. It has been reported that food industry has disrupted our nature biological matrix and exploit our innate preferences for sugar, salt and fat — with the goal of encouraging overconsumption and maximizing profit. For instance, our preference for sweetness was originally beneficial as it drove humans to consume berries and fruit and vegetables to provide us with nutrients needed for our survival and development. This preference has now been transformed into the overuse of added sugars and sweeteners in foods. Literature highlighted on the fact that these ultra processed foods create a brain reward system that triggers addiction-like eating behaviours. Many countries are already beginning to act on the consumption of UPFs and its subsets including sugary drinks and HFSS foods, many of these policies have a solid evidence base to show their effects on the food environment and consumer behaviour. Chile is the first country to implement a comprehensive package of policies, including mandatory front-of-package warning labels, strict marketing restrictions, and bans on in-school sales and promotion of HFSS foods and similar policies for curbing the use of HFSS has been implemented in other countries too like Brazil and Colombia. In conclusion, policies such as taxes, marketing restrictions and mandatory front-of-package warning labels can help consumers readily identify unhealthy foods and discourage their purchase, whereas policies such as school feeding programmes and healthy food subsidies for the poor can help ensure that all people can access and afford healthy foods (Popkin et al, 2025).
Reference:
Popkin, B., Ng, S. W., & Taillie, L. S. (2025). The mismatch between biological needs and the modern food industry. Nature Food, 1-4.
Posted : May 12, 2025 1:27 pm
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