The Hindu : New Delhi News : Film stars to get lessons on `junk food'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 17, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Film stars to get lessons on `junk food'

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI: Bollywood superstars Hrithik Roshan and Aamir Khan will be given a compulsory refresher course in "eating and drinking healthy".

Annoyed and worried over recent "endorsements" of aerated drinks by the actors, a non-government organisation in the Capital is mailing to the duo a letter-cum-research paper highlighting the ill effects of consuming "junk food" and "aerated drinks".

"This is to educate the role models of the younger generation to indulge in responsible endorsing. The country is facing an epidemic of sorts with the younger population falling prey to lifestyle diseases including obesity, hypertension and diabetes. The younger generation is easily influenced by statements made by Bollywood stars and tend to try and imitate their lifestyle. When Aamir Khan through his advertising for Coca-Cola says that this particular aerated drink is good, children believe him. It also goes for Hrithik Roshan, who is known to have a large fan following among the younger generation," says Vinod Jain, Chairman of Tapas.

According to research by the Chief Dietician at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rekha Sharma, aerated drinks fall under the category of "terrible junk food".

"The Delhi Government has already banned the sale of junk food in school canteens and the move has come after much sensitisation of the officials. And now with Bollywood stars going all out to promote aerated drinks it has become difficult to get across to the younger generation and tell them to keep aerated drinks at bay. Educating them about the ill effects of aerated drinks should begin from the actors who in turn can do endorsements that does not have an adverse affect on the health of the younger generation," Mr. Jain said.

Speaking about the known ill effects of junk food, Ms. Rekha Sharma notes: "Junk food is empty calories and little enzyme producing vitamins and minerals. When we eat these empty calories foods, the body is required to produce its own enzymes to convert these empty calories into usable energy. This is not desired, as these enzymes producing functions in our body should be reserved for the performance of vital metabolic reactions."

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