As droughts and extreme heat become more common, people in vulnerable areas are turning to highly processed foods and sugary drinks. Junk food companies are taking advantage of the emergency to boost their sales.

Lindsey Smith Taillie writes for The New York Times.

In summary:

• Droughts and extreme weather have made fresh food and clean water scarce, forcing poor communities to resort to junk food.
• Under the guise of combating malnutrition, companies aggressively market sugary drinks and snacks, especially to children.
• To counter these predatory practices, governments must take more aggressive action to ensure access to healthy food and water.

Key quote:

“There is no better time to restrict the sale of these foods – the warmer future will only make us more dependent on them.”

— Lindsey Smith Taillie, Director of the Global Food Research Program

Why this is important:

As fresh produce becomes increasingly scarce and expensive, junk food companies are seizing the opportunity to aggressively market their products, exacerbating the health crisis, especially in poor and vulnerable communities. Read more: The outsized role processed food plays in our health and environment.