ICMR Calls for Stricter Rules as 4.1 Crore Indian Children Are Overweight or Obese

Nearly 4.1 crore Indian children are currently overweight or obese, according to the World Obesity Atlas 2026, prompting the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to release a comprehensive roadmap to reverse the trend. The proposals, unveiled under the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN)-led 'Let's Fix Our Food' initiative, include front-of-pack nutrition labelling, restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods to children, healthier school food environments, improved nutrition literacy, and fiscal measures such as taxes on foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS).

The roadmap also calls for stricter enforcement of existing Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations that prohibit the sale and advertising of HFSS foods within school campuses and within 50 metres of their gates. It recommends routine inspections, stronger monitoring, and greater accountability to improve compliance.

A pilot assessment in private schools in Uttar Pradesh found that ultra-processed snacks and sugary drinks were widely available in school canteens, nutrition services were limited, and existing nutrition policies were poorly implemented. The report says the absence of a legally operational definition of HFSS foods has weakened enforcement of regulations.

The document warns that India could account for more than 11% of the global childhood obesity burden by 2030 if current trends continue. It also estimates that unhealthy diets account for 56.4% of the country's disease burden, with easy access to HFSS foods, aggressive marketing, and poor nutrition literacy driving the obesity epidemic.

The roadmap, launched by NITI Aayog member (health) M. Srinivas, brings together 10 policy briefs developed over nearly three years of research. The ICMR has urged the government to adopt these measures to curb the rising prevalence of childhood obesity and its associated health risks.