India has intensified its focus on tackling adolescent obesity and poor nutrition, with a high-level national consultation convened by the Let’s Fix Our Food (LFOF) Consortium at the Indian Council of Medical Research in New Delhi.

The multi-stakeholder consultation, led by the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition in partnership with the Public Health Foundation of India and UNICEF, brought together policymakers, researchers, and global health bodies to address the growing burden of overweight and obesity among Indian adolescents. 

During the event, key policy briefs and nutrition literacy resources were released, highlighting urgent interventions such as regulating the marketing of high fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) foods, introducing taxation on unhealthy food products, and scaling up behaviour change communication strategies. 

Senior policymakers warned that rising obesity levels among adolescents could have long-term implications for public health and economic productivity. The consultation emphasised that improving food environments—particularly in schools and communities—is critical to reversing current trends. 

The initiative also underscored the importance of empowering young people through nutrition literacy, including innovative tools such as school curricula and educational resources to improve food label understanding and promote healthier choices. 

With participation from government bodies, including the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, and global organisations such as the World Health Organization, the consultation highlighted the need for coordinated, multi-sectoral action to combat the adolescent nutrition crisis.

The LFOF Consortium, backed by over two years of research and youth engagement, aims to drive evidence-based policy reforms and foster healthier food ecosystems, positioning adolescent nutrition as a national priority.