NEW DELHI: Flagging that obesity in India is “rising at an alarming rate” and pose “a major public health challenge,” the Economic Survey on Thursday said it is driven by unhealthy diets, lifestyle changes, including sedentary lifestyles, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and environmental factors.
The Survey, which was released by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, highlighted that India is one of the fastest-growing markets for UPF sales and recommended the option of a marketing ban on UPFs from 6 am to 11 pm for all media.
It also suggested enforcing restrictions on the marketing of infant and toddler milk and beverages.
The Survey suggested a "front-of-pack nutrition labelling" of high-fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) food with a warning, restricting marketing to children, and ensuring that trade agreements do not undermine public health policy.
Noting that India is one of the fastest-growing markets for sales of UPF, which is contributing to chronic diseases worldwide and widening health inequalities, the Survey said a "multi-pronged approach" is needed for tackling the increase of human intake of UPF, commonly known as junk food like burger, noodles, pizza, soft drinks, etc.
The Survey said UPFs grew more than 150 per cent from 2009 to 2023. Retail sales of UPFs in India surged from USD 0.9 billion in 2006 to nearly USD 38 billion in 2019, a 40-fold rise.
"It is during the same period that obesity has nearly doubled in both men and women. This mirrors the global rise of obesity, parallel to dietary shifts. UPFs are displacing long-established dietary patterns, worsening diet quality, and are associated with increased risk of multiple chronic diseases," the Survey said.
Citing global examples, the Survey said Chile is an example of a country with integrated laws.
Advertisement restrictions are also done in other countries, such as Norway and the UK. "Recently, the UK has banned junk food advertising before 9 pm on TV and online to reduce children's exposure and curb childhood obesity. Further action on other marketing activities, including school and college sponsorship of events by UPF manufacturers, can be designed," it said.
Besides traditional media, it has also recommended UPF marketing restrictions to be mandatory and include digital media.
Quoting the latest Lancet study, it said that a global team of researchers worked on the Lancet Series on UPFs and Human Health, and consolidated the global evidence demonstrating that high UPF consumption is associated with several adverse health outcomes, such as obesity, chronic heart disease risk, respiratory issues, diabetes, mental health disorders, etc.
The rising use of UPFs imposes a substantial economic cost through higher healthcare spending, lost productivity, and long-term fiscal strain.
It also suggested that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) may bring UPFs under regulation with a clear definition and standards, including stricter labelling requirements.
“UPF may be defined in addition to HFSS by integrating it into the existing frameworks, rather than replacing them. This can be done by using the Nova classification or by identifying cosmetic additives. Enhanced monitoring of branded products to ensure compliance would help build consumer confidence. It is also crucial to raise awareness about the adverse effects of consuming UPFs through targeted campaigns aimed at schools and colleges,” it added.
“There is a growing body of evidence on the impact of UPFs on human health, indicating that there should be no delay in implementing public health policies while further research continues to unfold. Policies have so far focused on advocacy to reduce consumption of foods high in added fats, sugar, and sodium, many of which are UPFs. However, improving diets cannot depend solely on consumer behaviour change; it will require coordinated policies across food systems that regulate UPF production, promote healthier and more sustainable diets and marketing,” it added.
On the growing prevalence of obesity, the Survey said, it is rising at an alarming rate and is today a major public health challenge in India.
Driven by unhealthy diets, lifestyle changes, including sedentary lifestyles, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and environmental factors, it is affecting people across all age groups and increasing the risk of NCDs such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, impacting both urban and rural populations.
The 2019-21 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) reports that 24 per cent of Indian women and 23 per cent of Indian men are overweight or obese. Among women aged 15-49 years, 6.4 per cent are obese, and among men, 4.0 per cent are obese.
It said that what is more troubling still is the prevalence of excess weight among children under five has risen from 2.1 per cent in 2015-16 to 3.4 per cent in 2019-21.
According to estimates, over 3.3 crore children in India will be obese in 2020, and it is projected to reach 8.3 crore children by 2035.