The Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN)-led 'Let's Fix Our Food' (LFOF) Consortium has released a policy document titled 'Priority Policy Actions to Promote Healthier Diets and Food Environments for Children and Adolescents in India'. The policy document provides recommendations to support healthier food environments and improve dietary behaviours among children and adolescents across the country. The policy document was launched by Dr. M. Srinivas, Member (Health), NITI Aayog.

The policy document aims to combat India's skyrocketing rates of childhood overweight conditions, youth obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension.

According to the official reports, nearly 41 million children aged 5-19 years are living with overweight or obesity in 2025, and India is projected to account for more than 11 per cent of the global childhood obesity burden by 2030 if current trends continue.

The policy brief series highlights:

The publication compiles three years of diverse field evidence, state-specific nutrition environment assessments, and feedback from stakeholders into actionable intervention pillars.

1. Stricter Advertising and Marketing Rules

  • Transition from voluntary self-regulation to mandatory legal restrictions on marketing Foods High in Fat, Salt, and Sugar (HFSS) targeted at youth.
  • Ban "bait" and misleading health claims in advertisements across digital, TV, and public media.

2. Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling

  • Introduction of standardised, highly interpretive front-panel labels on packaged goods.
  • Enabling fast, visual verification so parents and adolescents can easily identify toxic levels of high fats, sodium, or sugars.

3. Healthier School Environments

  • Regulate canteens and surrounding food vendors within educational institutions to restrict access to junk food and ensure affordable, healthy food options like fruits and whole foods are readily available.
  • Introduce tools like the Nutrition Environment Assessment Toolkit for Schools (NEAT-S) to monitor school settings.

4. Junk Food Taxation

  • Levy health taxes on HFSS foods and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) to disincentivise their consumption while using policy mechanisms to make healthy foods more affordable.
  • Imposition of dedicated taxes on High-Fat, Sugar, and Salt (HFSS) foods and heavily processed beverages.

5. Integration into National Programs

Align recommendations with government initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat - School Health and Wellness Program to strengthen nutrition literacy, physical activity, and community engagement.

"Evidence-based, multisectoral policy action is essential to create healthier food environments for children and adolescents. Collaborative initiatives such as the Let's Fix Our Food Consortium are important for addressing the growing burden of overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases in India," Dr. M. Srinivas said.

Beyond theoretical frameworks, the LFOF Consortium launched immediate functional toolkits:

  • NEAT-S (Nutrition Environment Assessment Toolkit for Schools): A systematic framework engineered for schools to score, audit, and systematically transition their canteens away from obesogenic models.
  • Digital Literacy Modules: Launch of an interactive e-learning platform mapping packaged food labels and custom comic books designed by ICMR-NIN to teach adolescents how to recognise and reduce high sodium and bad fats.

The initiative is backed by a broad coalition of national and global bodies, including UNICEF India, Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), PHFI, WHO, FSSAI and other national and international partners.



Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.