Policy entry points for healthy diets in India: Insights from three consultations

Improving diet quality in India is both urgent and achievable, and the cost of inaction is high. The policy entry points identified through stakeholder consultations offer practical ways forward—from implementing front-of-package labeling and restricting ultra-processed food advertisements, to stren...

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Autores principales: Kishore, Avinash, Swaminathan, Soumya, Scott, Samuel P., Avula, Rasmi, Menon, Purnima
Formato: Brief
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179208
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author Kishore, Avinash
Swaminathan, Soumya
Scott, Samuel P.
Avula, Rasmi
Menon, Purnima
author_browse Avula, Rasmi
Kishore, Avinash
Menon, Purnima
Scott, Samuel P.
Swaminathan, Soumya
author_facet Kishore, Avinash
Swaminathan, Soumya
Scott, Samuel P.
Avula, Rasmi
Menon, Purnima
author_sort Kishore, Avinash
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Improving diet quality in India is both urgent and achievable, and the cost of inaction is high. The policy entry points identified through stakeholder consultations offer practical ways forward—from implementing front-of-package labeling and restricting ultra-processed food advertisements, to strengthening nutrition behavior change communication in existing safety net programs and making these programs more nutrition-sensitive. India's increasingly diverse food production is creating the supply-side foundation for healthier diets. Policy action should now focus on three key areas: making nutritious foods more accessible and affordable through agricultural policies and social protection programs that enable and incentivize crop and diet diversification; fostering healthier food environments by regulating ultra-processed foods with improved labeling, restrictions on advertising and promotion near schools, and limits on sugar, fat, and salt content; and building sustained demand for diverse, nutritious diets through targeted behavior change communication. Implementation should apply a consistent equity lens: prioritizing lagging geographies and marginalized groups, addressing gendered time constraints through childcare and other supports, and enabling women-led and small enterprises that produce nutritious, convenient foods. Success requires prioritizing cost-effective interventions with demonstrated impact, fostering collaboration across government departments and levels, and leveraging India's growing data infrastructure to ensure interventions reach the most vulnerable populations.
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spelling CGSpace1792082025-12-23T02:11:53Z Policy entry points for healthy diets in India: Insights from three consultations Kishore, Avinash Swaminathan, Soumya Scott, Samuel P. Avula, Rasmi Menon, Purnima nutrition diet food consumption policies healthy diets stakeholders Improving diet quality in India is both urgent and achievable, and the cost of inaction is high. The policy entry points identified through stakeholder consultations offer practical ways forward—from implementing front-of-package labeling and restricting ultra-processed food advertisements, to strengthening nutrition behavior change communication in existing safety net programs and making these programs more nutrition-sensitive. India's increasingly diverse food production is creating the supply-side foundation for healthier diets. Policy action should now focus on three key areas: making nutritious foods more accessible and affordable through agricultural policies and social protection programs that enable and incentivize crop and diet diversification; fostering healthier food environments by regulating ultra-processed foods with improved labeling, restrictions on advertising and promotion near schools, and limits on sugar, fat, and salt content; and building sustained demand for diverse, nutritious diets through targeted behavior change communication. Implementation should apply a consistent equity lens: prioritizing lagging geographies and marginalized groups, addressing gendered time constraints through childcare and other supports, and enabling women-led and small enterprises that produce nutritious, convenient foods. Success requires prioritizing cost-effective interventions with demonstrated impact, fostering collaboration across government departments and levels, and leveraging India's growing data infrastructure to ensure interventions reach the most vulnerable populations. 2025-12-22 2025-12-22T21:51:23Z 2025-12-22T21:51:23Z Brief https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179208 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Kishore, Avinash; Swaminathan, Soumya; Scott, Samuel P.; Avula, Rasmi; and Menon, Purnima. 2025. Policy entry points for healthy diets in India: Insights from three consultations. IFPRI Policy Note. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179208
spellingShingle nutrition
diet
food consumption
policies
healthy diets
stakeholders
Kishore, Avinash
Swaminathan, Soumya
Scott, Samuel P.
Avula, Rasmi
Menon, Purnima
Policy entry points for healthy diets in India: Insights from three consultations
title Policy entry points for healthy diets in India: Insights from three consultations
title_full Policy entry points for healthy diets in India: Insights from three consultations
title_fullStr Policy entry points for healthy diets in India: Insights from three consultations
title_full_unstemmed Policy entry points for healthy diets in India: Insights from three consultations
title_short Policy entry points for healthy diets in India: Insights from three consultations
title_sort policy entry points for healthy diets in india insights from three consultations
topic nutrition
diet
food consumption
policies
healthy diets
stakeholders
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179208
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