A BSTRACT Background: Adolescents who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in their early adult years, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and dyslipidaemia. To address the growing epidemic of childhood and adult obesity, immediate action is needed. Obesity and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases are strongly linked to eating habits. Methodology: A pre-tested, validated questionnaire was circulated among undergraduate MBBS students from various medical colleges. Results: One hundred seventy MBBS students from four other medical colleges participated in this online survey. The questionnaire was circulated via Google Forms. The mean age of participants was 21.57 (+1.47). Zomato (57, 33%) and Swiggy (52, 31%) were the most used applications by the participants. One hundred thirty-four (79%) participants had incorrect knowledge about added sugar in the diet cola drinks. One hundred nineteen (70%) participants had incorrect knowledge about added salt in bread. Thirty-five of 107 (33%) females had a waist hip ratio (WHR) of more than 0.85, and 15/63 (24%) males had a WHR of more than 0.90, which implies an increased chance of obesity, cardiovascular risks, and other non-communicable diseases in the future. Conclusion: The study reveals a high prevalence of HFSS food consumption among undergraduate medical students, with online food delivery platforms playing a central role in facilitating this dietary behaviour.
SINGH et al. (2026) studied this question.