Flawed food regulations fuel the obesity crisis, Pg 9

Key Highlights

Rising Obesity & Policy Concerns

• National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5): 1 in 4 adults in India is obese or pre-diabetic.
• Economic Survey 2025 recommendation: Introduce a ‘health tax’ on ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
• Challenges: Regulatory gaps, industry influence, and weak implementation of food marketing laws.

Flawed Food Labelling & Advertising

• Indian Nutrition Rating (INR): Introduced in 2022 by FSSAI, based on a health star system (0.5 to 5 stars).
• Criticism: Misleading as even unhealthy foods (e.g., soft drinks, biscuits, corn flakes) receive positive ratings.
• RTI findings: Food industry lobbyists influenced FSSAI, sidelining public health experts.
• Global best practice: Chile’s ‘black high-in’ warning labels reduced UPF consumption by 24%.

Regulatory Loopholes & Industry Influence

• Consumer Protection Act (2019): Defines misleading ads but does not enforce UPF-specific regulations.
• FSSAI loopholes: No clear definitions of High Fat, Sugar, and Salt (HFSS) foods or advertising thresholds.
• Effect: Junk food companies freely advertise products without disclosing high sugar, fat, or salt content.

Economic & Public Health Impact

• Unchecked junk food marketing: Increases childhood obesity, diabetes, and heart disease risks.
• Studies indicate: Strong food regulation can significantly reduce childhood obesity rates.

Recommended Reforms

• Scrap the INR system and implement clear ‘high-in’ warning labels.
• Define HFSS food thresholds based on WHO & ICMR guidelines.
• Harmonize laws for a unified HFSS/UPF advertising ban.
• Launch a national awareness campaign on UPF health risks.

Analysis & Way Forward

• India’s obesity crisis is a policy failure, not just a public health issue.
• Strict food regulations, labeling norms, and advertising bans are crucial to achieving a healthier India.
• Policymakers must act urgently to implement Economic Survey recommendations for effective regulation.

Mains Mock Question:

"Critically examine India’s food labeling and advertising regulations in tackling obesity. Suggest policy measures for effective regulation of ultra-processed foods."