“I cannot begin my day without a large pancake, drizzled with syrup. I love my ice cream post-meals, snack on chips and have 200 ml of sugary beverages daily. I have a burger every alternate day. And whenever home food is boring, I heat up a frozen pizza with some cheese,” says 18-year-old Ravi, who has been struggling with obesity ever since he was a child. Weighing 165 kg now, his blood sugar levels are already high and he has borderline cholesterol, unusual for his age. With a family history of obesity, his condition is compounded by his daily dietary fixes, all of which are ultra-processed foods.

These contain high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, preservatives and artificial flavours, along with high amounts of sugar, salt and fat. So addicted is Ravi to these hyper-palatable

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