Monitor, restrict advertising, marketing of 'unhealthy' foods: Plea to Govt of India

By A Representative

Representing to JP Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, top NGO Nutrition Advocacy for Public Interest (NAPi) has insisted on the need to monitor and regulate advertising and marketing of unhealthy foods.

Writing to Nadda, Dr Arun Gupta, convener, NAPi, quotes the Economic Survey 2024, which says, "Social media, screen time, sedentary habits, and unhealthy food are a lethal mix that can undermine public health and productivity and diminish India’s economic potential. The private sector’s contribution to this toxic mix of habits is substantial, and that is myopic..."

Claiming that this observation "strengthens our view", Dr Gupta says, "NAPi believes that substantial contribution by the private sector (which is food industry) underlines the need for regulation to prohibit advertisements of HFSS -- unhealthy ultra-processed food products."

He asserts, "It is pertinent that Government of India addresses this issue as the call for a regulation to restrict marketing and advertising unhealthy food products with the focus on public health is more than ever", insisting, "It should not be left only to individuals, who are gullible in an unhealthy environment."

Referring to the NAPi recent report, “50 Shades of Food Advertising: Seductive and Luring, misleading people to consume unhealthy food products”, Dr Gupta says, "The report presents the content of the 50 advertisements demonstrating the appeal with which misleading food advertisements continue in abundance and replacing traditional diets. This transition carries huge health risks in the form of obesity and diabetes."

"Misleading advertisements of food /beverage products continue despite well-intended policy frameworks. The report documents the loopholes in existing regulations and the process of implementation. The report, therefore, recommends amendments to the existing regulatory frameworks. The Lancet in February 2024 published an analysis that concurs with these findings", he adds.

Stating that the recommended amendments have also been part of the “National Multi-sectoral Action Plan to Control Common NCDs (NMAP 2017-2022)”, Dr Gupta insists that the Government of India should initiate "the following actions based on our report":

Adopt as a policy “definition” of the high fat/ sugar/ salt (HFSS foods), which can be used by various other regulations that control labelling and advertisements of unhealthy foods. This action will ensure harmony with the Consumer Protection Act 2019, the Norms of Journalistic Conduct 2022, the Advertising Code of Cable TV Act and Rules 1994, and the FSS Act 2006 and its subsequent regulations. The ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) recently launched a set of Dietary Guidelines for Indians, (Annex-1), which provides such definition.
Adopt as a policy, the thresholds for ‘nutrients of concern, i.e. sugar, saturated fat, and salt in pre-packaged food products. Many countries have adopted similar thresholds including the WHO SEARO and other regional offices.
Accelerate the implementation of the NMAP in order to achieve the suggested amendments in other regulations.
Set up a robust system of monitoring at the State level, and document an annual status report.
Launch a public health campaign to inform at the population level about food products, which are unhealthy and what are the risks to health.

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