UPSC Editorial Analysis: Rethinking Public Food Policy in India
Kartavya Desk Staff
*General Studies-2; Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.*
Introduction
• In June 2025, the Union government issued an advisory encouraging ministries and departments to display signboards warning against the health hazards of snacks high in fat and sugar, such as samosas, kachoris, pastries, and jalebis.
• While the move sparked political reactions, social media memes, and media misreporting, the Health Ministry clarified that these were not bans or mandates—but behavioural nudges to create awareness.
• This initiative, though well-intentioned, reflects a broader challenge in India’s food ecosystem—public policy that remains fragmented and reactive.
• With non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and obesity rates rising rapidly, it’s time for a more holistic, coordinated and sustained approach toward promoting healthy dietary behaviour.
Background
• According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), over 24% of men and 21% of women in urban India are overweight or obese.
• The World Obesity Federation projects that over 500 million Indians could be overweight by 2050.
• Rising obesity is closely tied to the prevalence of ultra-processed food, unhealthy fats, and high-sugar snacks—especially in public eateries and travel hubs.
• The Union government’s advisory sought to “nudge” public behaviour through signboards, especially in areas frequented by large numbers of people such as government offices, railway stations, airports, and bus terminals.
The Power and Limits of Behavioural Nudges
• Behavioural nudges are low-cost interventions that encourage healthier choices without coercion.
• Countries like the UK and Chile have used warning labels and ‘traffic light’ food labels to guide public choices.
• While India’s advisory is a start, experts argue that mere nudges are inadequate in a setting where unhealthy food dominates availability and affordability.
• As per studies in behavioural economics, choice architecture must offer viable alternatives—nudging works best when healthy choices are also accessible.
The Food Environment in Public Spaces
• Public spaces like railway stations, bus terminals, metro stations, and airports are filled with stalls offering fried snacks, sugary drinks, and salty processed foods.
• Healthy food alternatives such as fruits, nuts, salads, or traditional low-fat options are rare or cost-prohibitive.
• Example: Onboard meals in premium trains like Rajdhani or Vande Bharat feature items like deep-fried cutlets and bread-based dishes, reflecting poor nutritional balance.
• In government canteens too, deep-fried items dominate, while nutritious millet-based snacks are either unavailable or unaffordable.
Nutritional Transition and Its Consequences
• India is facing a double burden of malnutrition—coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition.
• The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study (Lancet, 2020) highlights that poor diet is a top risk factor contributing to diabetes, heart diseases, and cancer.
• Childhood obesity is also rising: The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (2016-18) showed that nearly 10% of Indian children aged 5-19 were either overweight or obese.
Need for a Multi-Ministerial Approach
Tackling this public health issue requires collaboration across:
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare – to frame and coordinate dietary policy.
• Ministry of Railways and Transport – to implement healthy food kiosks at stations and on trains.
• Ministry of Food Processing Industries – to support low-cost processing of nutritious foods.
• Ministry of Education and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) – to provide dietary education and regulate labelling.
• Urban Local Bodies – to enforce food zoning norms, especially in municipal markets and public spaces.
Such a coordinated framework will ensure that advisory nudges are backed by systemic changes in food supply and availability.
The Role of Indian Dietary Guidelines
• The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) under ICMR has developed comprehensive Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2020).
• These guidelines promote: Whole grains (e.g., millets, brown rice), Seasonal fruits and vegetables, Traditional snacks like roasted grams, chana chaat, poha, idli, and dhokla over deep-fried items.
• Whole grains (e.g., millets, brown rice),
• Seasonal fruits and vegetables,
• Traditional snacks like roasted grams, chana chaat, poha, idli, and dhokla over deep-fried items.
• These can be used to design affordable menus for public food outlets, rail caterers, canteens, and vending machines.
Involving Culinary and Nutrition Institutes
• Government can partner with culinary and food science institutes like IHMCTANs (Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition) and food startups to: Innovate healthy snack recipes, Conduct public food campaigns, Train vendors and caterers in healthier preparation methods (e.g., baking over frying).
• Innovate healthy snack recipes,
• Conduct public food campaigns,
• Train vendors and caterers in healthier preparation methods (e.g., baking over frying).
• Local ingredients like ragi, bajra, and jackfruit can be promoted as cost-effective and nutritious substitutes.
Creating a Choice-Based Food Ecosystem
• A truly democratic food system ensures that healthy alternatives are visible, accessible, and affordable.
• At every major public food hub, if 20 shops serve high-fat sugary food, at least 2–3 should serve healthy snacks—roasted pulses, fruits, millet upma, baked items, etc.
• Public-private partnerships can help in: Creating branded “Healthy Kiosks”, Offering subsidies for nutritious meals in government settings, Integrating these models into POSHAN Abhiyaan and Eat Right India.
• Creating branded “Healthy Kiosks”,
• Offering subsidies for nutritious meals in government settings,
• Integrating these models into POSHAN Abhiyaan and Eat Right India.
Beyond Food Labels: Long-Term Structural Measures
• Mandatory nutrition labelling and front-of-pack warnings, currently under consideration by FSSAI, should be fast-tracked.
• Strengthening implementation of School Health Programme (under Ayushman Bharat) can reinforce early habits.
• Policies to curb the marketing of junk food to children, especially via television and digital platforms, are essential.
• Introducing a fat/sugar tax on ultra-processed foods can disincentivize their overconsumption, as done in countries like Mexico and Hungary.
Way Forward
• Merely putting up signboards is not enough. India needs: A national healthy eating framework rooted in affordability, accessibility, and cultural relevance. Food policies aligned with public health goals rather than operating in isolation. Integration of nutrition into Smart Cities Mission, Swachh Bharat, and Digital India, especially through smart food monitoring and feedback systems. Periodic monitoring and evaluation of public food offerings through health audits.
• A national healthy eating framework rooted in affordability, accessibility, and cultural relevance.
• Food policies aligned with public health goals rather than operating in isolation.
• Integration of nutrition into Smart Cities Mission, Swachh Bharat, and Digital India, especially through smart food monitoring and feedback systems.
• Periodic monitoring and evaluation of public food offerings through health audits.
Conclusion
• The government’s advisory on fatty and sugary snacks is a step in the right direction—but it should be a starting point, not a finish line.
• Behavioural nudges must be accompanied by systemic interventions that make healthy food the easy, visible, and affordable choice in public spaces.
• As India prepares for an impending health burden, a proactive, unified, and evidence-driven nutrition policy is no longer optional—it is an imperative.
“India is facing a dual burden of malnutrition. Examine the need for integrated public policy to ensure healthy food environments in public spaces.” (250 Words)