ICMR-NIN-Led Consortium Releases Child Nutrition Policy Framework
The Indian Council of Medical Research–National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN)-led 'Let's Fix Our Food' Consortium released a comprehensive 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 was launched by Dr. M. Srinivas, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog, during a dissemination workshop at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, with participation from Dr. Bharati Kulkarni (Director, ICMR-NIN), Prof. K. Srinath Reddy (Founder President, PHFI), and representatives from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, FSSAI, UNICEF India, Resolve to Save Lives, and multiple international partners.
The policy document represents nearly three years of multidisciplinary research, stakeholder consultations, and policy dialogues, focusing on combating the growing burden of overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases among Indian children and adolescents. The Consortium includes Resolve to Save Lives India, UNICEF India, Global Health Advocacy Incubator, PHFI, WHO, FSSAI, IEG, WFP, Lady Irwin College, IFPRI, Deakin University, and other national and international partners.
Key policy recommendations cover ten priority areas: healthy school food environments, nutrition literacy enhancement, front-of-pack nutrition labeling, regulation of unhealthy food marketing to children, taxation of foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS), promotion of healthier dietary fats, salt reduction initiatives, low-sodium salt substitutes, social and behavior change communication, youth engagement strategies, and fiscal measures to promote healthier diets.
During the launch event, several knowledge products were introduced including the LFOF website, Nutrition Environment Assessment Toolkit for Schools (NEAT-S) with its accompanying report, an e-learning module on understanding food labels, and ICMR-NIN educational resources on fats, sugars, and salt designed to strengthen nutrition literacy among young populations. Marie-Claude Desilets of UNICEF India emphasized that malnutrition now encompasses both undernutrition and rising obesity, while Dr. Syed Imran Farooq of Resolve to Save Lives highlighted the need to reduce excess salt, fat, and sugar intake to lower cardiovascular disease burden.
The workshop featured presentations of new evidence on school food environments, unhealthy food marketing, nutrition education, dietary behaviors, fiscal policy options, and nutrition environment assessments across multiple Indian states, concluding with thematic discussions on translating research findings into actionable policy recommendations.