To curb obesity, India must protect children from food advertising, say experts

Muskan BhatiaHyderabad, March 26 -- As the 'obesity pandemic' in young children continues to rise in India, nutrition experts at National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad called for banning food advertisements for children on television channels and social media platforms -- the social environment which influences the food choices of the younger ones.

Unhealthy foods have penetrated global markets, including India, becoming not just widely available, accessible, affordable and acceptable, but increasingly "aspirational", an expert from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-led NIN consortium on adolescent nutrition said.

Nutritionists said market forces are increasingly shaping the current food environment, with most ultra-...