In India, childhood obesity is no longer a distant concern—it’s a full-blown health crisis knocking on the nation’s doorstep. With millions of children grappling with excess weight, and diet-related diseases on the rise, a powerful consortium led by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) is calling for immediate and sweeping reforms. Chief among them: a bold “health tax” on ultra-processed foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt, along with tighter regulations on products aggressively marketed to children.
This move comes at a critical time. India is witnessing an alarming rise in adolescent obesity, with data showing a massive surge in the number of morbidly overweight children aged 5 to 19 years—from just 0.4 million in 1990 to a staggering 12.5 million by 2022. These figures paint a grim picture of a nation that is rapidly shifting from undernutrition to overnutrition, especially in urban areas where processed snacks and sugary beverages have become staples in children’s diets.
A Call for Action
The ICMR-NIN-led group, comprising nutritionists, doctors, and public health experts, has emphasized that curbing this growing epidemic requires an aggressive, multi-pronged approach. At the core of their recommendations is the introduction of a dedicated health tax aimed at disincentivizing the purchase and consumption of junk food and sugary beverages.
The group is advocating for an additional tax of 20–30% on items like sweets and confectionery products, and a 32% levy on sugar-sweetened beverages. These measures, they argue, will serve as both a deterrent and a revenue generator—helping to fund awareness campaigns and health programs targeted at children and adolescents.
Importantly, the consortium is not just stopping at taxes. They are also urging policymakers to implement stricter marketing restrictions for foods targeting children, better front-of-pack food labelling, and a ban on the sale of unhealthy foods in and around schools and educational institutions—guidelines that already exist under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) but are poorly enforced.
Why the Urgency?
The stakes are high. Obesity is a well-documented risk factor for numerous chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and even some forms of cancer. For children, the consequences are even more severe as excess weight gained early in life is harder to shed and often persists into adulthood, paving the way for lifelong health complications.
Globally, childhood overweight and obesity have increased dramatically over the last few decades. In India alone, the prevalence of overweight children has risen from just 4% in 1975 to over 18% in 2016, and the numbers have only gone higher since. This rapid transformation is largely attributed to drastic dietary changes, increased screen time, reduced physical activity, and the omnipresence of cheap, calorie-dense processed foods.
Despite these worrying trends, India currently lacks a clear and targeted health policy to address the junk food menace. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, for instance, does not distinguish between healthy and unhealthy food products. Nutrient-rich items like fruits and vegetables are often taxed at the same rate—or sometimes higher—than items like carbonated drinks or packaged snacks.
The panel is also pushing for a re-evaluation of how sugar alternatives, such as artificial and non-nutritive sweeteners, are taxed. At present, these are levied at similar rates as regular sugar, despite their distinct properties and health implications. Adjusting these taxation structures, the group argues, would better reflect the nutritional value of different products and encourage healthier choices.
The Science Behind Sugar and Fat: Why These Foods Are So Harmful
Experts warn that diets rich in added sugars and unhealthy fats are a major contributor to obesity and a host of other health conditions. But why exactly are sugary and fatty foods so dangerous, especially for children?
1. Empty Calories, No Nutrition
Added sugars—commonly found in sweetened beverages, candies, baked goods, and cereals—are packed with calories but offer little to no nutritional value. Ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, and agave syrup are energy-dense but lack essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, or protein. These “empty calories” quickly accumulate in the body and contribute to excess weight gain without providing any real nourishment.
2. Blood Sugar Spikes and Insulin Resistance
Frequent consumption of sugary foods leads to rapid spikes in blood glucose levels, causing a condition called hyperglycemia. This state, when sustained over time, impairs cell function and leads to increased inflammation and insulin resistance—two key factors in the development of type 2 diabetes. High-sugar diets are also linked to leptin resistance, which interferes with the brain’s ability to regulate hunger and satiety, thereby promoting overeating.
3. Disrupted Appetite Signals
Fructose, a type of sugar common in processed foods, has been shown to significantly alter hormone levels related to hunger. It increases the hunger-promoting hormone ghrelin while decreasing peptide YY, the hormone that signals fullness. The result? A constant urge to eat, even when the body doesn’t need more energy. This hormonal imbalance is particularly dangerous in growing children who are still developing their lifelong eating habits.
The Path Forward
The consortium’s proposals have stirred debate, but they are far from unprecedented. Countries like Mexico, Chile, and the United Kingdom have already implemented sugar taxes and marketing restrictions on unhealthy foods, with encouraging results. In Mexico, for instance, a tax on sugary drinks led to a 7.6% decline in their consumption within the first two years, especially among lower-income households.
If India is serious about protecting the health of its next generation, it must act swiftly. A comprehensive national policy that includes taxation, education, marketing restrictions, and access to healthier alternatives is not just a recommendation—it’s a necessity.
While there may be resistance from food industry stakeholders and consumers initially, the long-term benefits of such policies far outweigh the costs. In the words of the consortium’s experts, “Improving the food environment for children today is the only way to ensure a healthier, disease-free India tomorrow.”
