Context: India is undergoing a major “nutrition transition” which is characterised by rapidly changing dietary patterns. There is a significant shift away from traditional diets (which were high in fibre and comprised mostly whole foods) to more western-style diets which are highly processed and high in calories.
Factors leading to change in dietary habits:
- This change in dietary habits coincided with rapid economic progress and urbanisation along with a surge in the consumption of packaged and processed foods (popularly called “junk foods”).
- Other major factors include aggressive advertising to promote “tasty” and “affordable” comfort foods, particularly aimed at younger consumers.
- The ultra-processed food industry in India has expanded at a compound annual growth rate of 13.37% between 2011 and 2021. India’s food processing industry is predicted to be worth $535 billion by 2025-26.
- According to a pan India survey conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), 93% of children ate food that was packaged, 68% drank packaged sweetened beverages more than once a week, and 53% ate these foods at least once a day.
Issues:
- Categorised as high in fats, salts and sugars (HFSS) foods, these foods are nutritionally low in vitamins, minerals, fibre but are high in calories, fats, salt, sugar, and innumerable preservatives. E.g., Cookies, cakes, chips, namkeen, instant noodles, sugary drinks, frozen meals, canned fruits, Indian sweets, and bakery products.
- Scientific evidence shows how junk food has been medically found to weaken the body’s defences against infection, increase blood pressure, lead to a spike in blood sugar, cause weight gain, and also contribute to increased risk of cancer.
- India is experiencing an explosion of lifestyle diseases, with unhealthy diets being one of the single largest contributing factors.
- An Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study (2023) estimates a glaringly high prevalence of metabolic disorders in India where 11% of the population has diabetes, 35% is hypertensive and almost 40% are suffering from abdominal obesity.
Regulations in India:
- A ruling by the Supreme Court of India in 2013 said that any food article which is hazardous or injurious to public health is a potential danger to the fundamental right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
- Campaigns: To protect consumers from unhealthy foods and promote their well-being, the Government of India has prioritised the promotion of healthy foods and an active lifestyle through its initiatives such as Eat Right India, the Fit India Movement, and Poshan 2.0 (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition).
- FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) released the Food Safety and Standards (Safe food and balanced diets for children in school) Regulations, 2020, restricting the sale of HFSS in school canteens/mess premises/hostel kitchens, or within 50 metres of the school campus.
- Recently, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has issued notice to a health drink giant to evaluate and withdraw all misleading advertisements, packaging and labels that brand the product as a “health drink”, citing the product’s high sugar content that can adversely impact the health of children.
Way Forward:
- Clear definition of HFSS foods: While the FSSAI has released regulations for restricting the consumption of HFSS (high in fats, salts and sugars) foods, currently, there is no way to “define” or “identify” which foods fall into the category of HFSS foods. Thus, FSSAI should define what exactly constitutes HFSS foods in the Indian context which can enable better implementation of food safety regulations.
- Proper list of ingredients in Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL): Currently, a nutrition table is printed in small print on the back of food packets which most of the population neither notices nor comprehends. There should be “warning labels” like “high in salt” or a star rating (Indian Nutrition Rating) based on the overall nutritional profile of the packaged food products, to make informed food choices.
- Subsidies for healthy foods: Policies can also be developed to facilitate the positive subsidies for healthy foods such as whole foods, millets, fruits and vegetables that will improve their availability, affordability, and thus greater consumption in rural and urban areas.
- Behavioural change campaign: Multimedia campaign targeting children and young adults should have discussions on the health impacts of junk foods; and building on “vocal for local” which promotes local and seasonal fruits and vegetables and traditional foods such as millets and balanced diets.
Hence, through policy interventions and informed decision making, India needs a “Jan Andolan” or people’s movement to switch to healthier and nutritionally diverse diets.