Published May 25, 2026 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated May 25, 2026 | 7:00 AM
Representational image. Credit: iStock
Synopsis: A study by ICMR-NIN on 311 Hyderabad college students found frequent consumption of high-fat, high-salt packaged foods nearly triples the risk of elevated blood pressure. Male students and those from higher-income households showed greater vulnerability. Biscuits, chocolates, and savoury snacks topped intake. Researchers urge healthier food environments, stronger nutrition literacy, and targeted interventions to curb early cardiovascular risks.
Young adults in Hyderabad who eat high-fat and high-salt packaged foods frequently face nearly three times the risk of elevated blood pressure compared to peers who consume less, according to a study by researchers at the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN).
The findings, published in the journal Nutrients, raise concern about how early in life diet-driven cardiovascular risk takes hold.
The cross-sectional study examined 311 undergraduate students aged 18 to 24 years from three colleges in Hyderabad between September and October 2025.
Researchers measured blood pressure using a validated automated device and assessed dietary intake through a 24-item food frequency questionnaire covering ultra-processed foods consumed over the preceding month.
Of the 311 participants, 12.5 percent recorded high blood pressure, defined as 140/90 mmHg or above.
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Male students carried a disproportionate share of risk. Among them, 17.7 percent recorded stage 2 hypertension, against 3.6 percent among female participants. Students above the age of 20 also recorded higher rates than their younger peers.
Students who consumed high-fat and/or high-salt ultra-processed foods at or above the median intake level had 2.85 times higher odds of elevated blood pressure after researchers adjusted for age, sex, and socioeconomic variables.
Students from households earning above Rs 1 lakh per month had over three times higher odds of high blood pressure compared to those from lower-income households, a pattern the authors note aligns with evidence from high-income countries where socioeconomic advantage can coexist with lifestyle-driven cardiovascular risk.
Biscuits, chocolates, and packaged savoury snacks topped the list of most frequently consumed ultra-processed foods. Bread and breakfast cereals followed. Protein powders and energy drinks sat at the other end, with most students reporting they rarely or never consumed them.
Taste drove consumption more than any other factor. Easy availability, convenience, ease of preparation, and low cost followed. Researchers found that when taste combined with environmental factors such as accessibility and advertising, students recorded the highest ultra-processed food intake scores. Taste alone, by contrast, linked to more moderate intake.
Dr Bharati Kulkarni, director of ICMR-NIN, said the study reflects a pattern playing out across urban India.
“India is witnessing a rapid nutrition transition, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Dietary choices made early in life can significantly influence future cardiovascular health,” she said in a statement.
She called for healthier food environments and stronger nutrition literacy among young people to prevent complications down the line.
Lead authors Dr Karthikeyan S and Dr Samarasimha Reddy said the growing dependence on packaged and convenience foods among urban youth warrants urgent public health attention. They called for targeted interventions in colleges and universities to build awareness about the risks tied to excessive ultra-processed food consumption.
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Researchers pointed to several possible interventions: reducing the availability of high-salt packaged foods around campuses, improving access to healthier alternatives, and scaling up nutrition awareness among students and parents.
They also noted the findings align with India’s Dietary Guidelines, which recommend limiting foods high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats to reduce non-communicable disease risk.
The study further found that combinations of environmental and behavioural factors, including advertising exposure and convenience, drove higher intake more than individual motivations alone, suggesting that structural changes to food environments matter as much as individual awareness campaigns.
Researchers cautioned that the cross-sectional design rules out causal inference. The study did not capture data on physical activity, obesity, stress levels, sleep patterns, or portion sizes, all of which could influence blood pressure and act as confounders. Self-reported dietary intake also carries the risk of recall and social desirability bias.
The authors called for longitudinal research that incorporates these variables to build a fuller picture of how diet shapes blood pressure trajectories among India’s urban young adults.
