Ravish Speaks on Ultra-Processed Foods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R9riaAE350

Ravish Kumar’s recent video on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) highlights what many public health experts have been warning for years.  India is in the middle of a silent dietary transition driven by aggressive marketing, advertising and unchecked expansion of industrial food systems. His message is clear and timely. 

UPF products are mostly high in sugar, salt, unhealthy fats and harmful additives. These are rapidly displacing our traditional diets. The result is a rising burden of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease.  

What is deeply concerning is that the food companies driving this shift continue to shape policies meant to regulate them.

Scientific evidence is now clear ,these products harm health through multiple biological pathways and require decisive policy action.

India cannot afford to wait and must do the following policies

1. Introduce mandatory, front-of-pack warning labels on all high-salt, high-sugar and high-fat UPFs.

2. Ban advertising and marketing of UPFs to children — across TV, digital, influencers, sports and school environments.

3. Remove food industry influence from nutrition policy-making committees. Regulation cannot be shaped by the same corporations whose profits depend on harmful products. Conflicts of interest must be eliminated if we want policies that truly protect public health.

Why this matters

UPFs are becoming a daily diet for millions of Indian families. Without strong regulation, these products will continue to displace home-cooked, traditional, minimally processed foods. 

Your voice is essential. Please share on your social media as much you can 

The Lancet has published  3 papers on 19 Nov 2025 to justify this action. As a co-author I am happy to share the links with you. 

https://www.thelancet.com/series-do/ultra-processed-food

All the very best 

Dr Arun Gupta