The Indian Council of Medical Research–National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN)-led 'Let's Fix Our Food' Consortium released a policy document titled 'Priority Policy Actions to Promote Healthier Diets and Food Environments for Children and Adolescents in India' on July 22, 2026. The document outlines evidence-based recommendations developed through nearly three years of multidisciplinary research, stakeholder consultations, and policy dialogues to address the growing burden of overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases among Indian children and adolescents.
The policy recommendations cover multiple key areas including healthy school food environments, nutrition literacy, front-of-pack nutrition labelling, regulation of marketing of unhealthy food to children, taxation of foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS), healthier dietary fats, salt reduction, low-sodium salt substitutes, social and behaviour change communication, youth engagement, and fiscal measures to promote healthier diets. The Consortium is a multi-institutional national platform including Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) India, UNICEF India, Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), WHO, FSSAI, IEG, WFP, Lady Irwin College, IFPRI, and Deakin University.
During the launch event at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, Dr. M. Srinivas, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog, emphasized the importance of evidence-based, multisectoral policy action to create healthier food environments. The workshop also featured the launch of several knowledge products including the LFOF website, the Nutrition Environment Assessment Toolkit for Schools (NEAT-S) and its report, an e-learning module on understanding food labels, and ICMR-NIN educational resources on fats, sugars, and salt to strengthen nutrition literacy.
Marie-Claude Desilets, Chief of Nutrition at UNICEF India, highlighted that malnutrition now includes rising obesity driven by unhealthy diets, challenging healthy growth among children. Dr. Syed Imran Farooq, Executive Director of Resolve to Save Lives, emphasized the need to reduce excess salt, fat, and sugar intake alongside supportive food policies to lower cardiovascular disease burden. The consultation showcased new evidence on school food environments, unhealthy food marketing, nutrition education, dietary behaviours, and fiscal policy options across multiple states.