Stop advertising targeted at kids
Most of the ads that use kids to advertise are selling ultra processed foods which are very harmful and have 5 or more ingredients that look unnatural. Ultra-processing alters the food matrix and its structure, which destroys the nutrition quality and affects the satiety centre that makes you eat more. High consumption of ultra-processed diets has been found to be associated with chronic diseases like overweight, type-2 diabetes, cancers, hypertension, heart disease. People who consumed 10 per cent increased UPFs in their diet had a 15 per cent greater chance of developing type-2 diabetes.
Article 21 of the Constitution of India guarantees protection of human life and health. There is enough evidence to say increasing consumption of UPFs is harmful to human health. The government of India may recognise Nova Classification to conduct dietary surveys and aim at stalling the rising consumption. Consumers need to know about the risks of diets high in UPFs in local languages to reduce their consumption. Examples of tobacco campaigns may be used.
Regulation of UPFs should aim to end advertisements especially targeted at children and adolescents. The State can make other policies such as a warning label on packs of unhealthy food products and a highest slab of GST may be imposed on them. more