New Delhi, Aug. 27 -- India's top food regulator is likely to advise restaurants and hotels to voluntarily display information regarding sugar and oil content in their dishes, officials aware of the matter said, as the world's most populous nation battles a worsening obesity crisis.

The initiative, aimed at empowering diners to make healthier and more informed food choices, comes as India grapples with an alarming projection: by 2035, the country could be home to 449 million overweight and obese individuals, making it the second-highest globally in terms of obesity burden, according to a recent Lancet study.

India is seeing a sharp rise in obesity among both adults and children. Obesity significantly raises the risk of non-communicable ...