Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest initiative to combat obesity and curb excessive oil consumption is timely as obesity rates are rising sharply, underscoring urgent need for preventive healthcare and dietary reforms

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent initiative to combat obesity and reduce excessive cooking oil consumption has ignited nationwide discussions on health and nutrition. The campaign underscores the importance of preventive healthcare and dietary changes in addressing India’s growing obesity crisis. Given the alarming rise in obesity worldwide, this initiative is both timely and necessary and has received support from healthcare professionals, sportspersons, and the World Health Organisation.

India is witnessing a sharp increase in obesity, with the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) reporting that 23% of men and 24% of women are now overweight or obese. Urban areas show even higher numbers due to sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets. By now, we all know that obesity increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and certain cancers, placing a heavy burden on India’s healthcare system. The WHO has identified obesity as a major global health crisis, and India is rapidly catching up with Western countries in obesity rates.

However, while addressing obesity through lifestyle changes is essential, an even more pressing concern needs urgent attention-food adulteration. In 2018-19, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) found that almost one-third of food samples tested in India failed quality checks due to adulteration. Media reports highlight alarming instances of harmful substances being added to food, such as urea, starch, and detergent in milk; synthetic dyes and artificial ripening agents in fruits; chalk in common salt; artificial colors in spices; formalin in fish; iron filings or colored leaves in tea; synthetic whiteners, chalk powder, or soapstone in rice and wheat; and lead chromate in pulses. These adulterants pose serious health risks, including food poisoning, kidney damage, cancer, and neurological disorders.

Food adulteration is now so rampant that, at times, we don’t even need food inspectors to detect it. Walk through any vegetable market, and you will see unnaturally shiny apples, bright green peas, pointed gourds, and glossy brinjals. These are not signs of freshness but of harmful chemicals like wax, artificial dyes, and pesticides. Soak vegetables in water, and you may see colors leaching out-clear evidence of adulteration.

While obesity can be managed by raising awareness about the dangers of consuming processed foods with unhealthy ingredients or overconsuming edible oil and encouraging lifestyle changes, avoiding adulterated food is far more challenging. It is difficult to detect adulteration, and the issue is deeply rooted in systemic flaws in food production and regulation. Unless food adulteration is effectively tackled, even so-called “healthy” choices can be hazardous, exposing consumers to harmful substances despite their best efforts to maintain a nutritious diet.

Due to the widespread issue of food adulteration, many people have stopped eating fruits with their peels or raw salads, fearing pesticide residues and chemical coatings. This shift highlights how food adulteration forces people to compromise on natural and healthier eating habits, ultimately hindering efforts to promote a balanced diet and combat obesity.

With adulteration becoming so prevalent, it’s no surprise that people are turning to organic food. The organic food market is expanding rapidly worldwide. In India, it was valued at around $1.5 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $8.9 billion by 2032. However, organic food in India is much costlier than conventionally grown food, making it less accessible to middle—and lower-income groups. To make matters worse, fake organic labels have become a growing concern. As demand rises, many brands and sellers misuse the “organic” tag, passing off conventionally grown food at a premium price under the guise of organic produce. If left unchecked, this defeats the very purpose of switching to organic food, leaving us right back where we started.

PM Modi’s past campaigns, such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the promotion of yoga through the International Day of Yoga, have demonstrated his ability to mobilise public participation and drive meaningful change. His efforts to combat obesity are also likely to strike a chord with the masses. However, while his past initiatives have successfully influenced public hygiene and global health trends, his latest campaign against obesity will have a meaningful impact only if the issue of food adulteration is effectively addressed.

In the fight against obesity, food adulteration is the elephant in the room. Addressing it first will ensure that when Indians make healthier choices, they are truly consuming safe and nutritious food.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to combat obesity and reduce excessive cooking oil consumption is a crucial step toward improving public health in India.

Indeed, rampant food adulteration undermines even the best health-conscious efforts, exposing consumers to harmful substances despite their intent to eat well. The presence of hasardous chemicals in everyday foods, from fruits and vegetables to dairy and staples, poses severe health risks.

PM Modi’s past campaigns have successfully driven large-scale behavioral changes, and his anti-obesity initiative holds similar promise. However, its success depends on a holistic approach that includes stringent food safety regulations, public awareness about adulteration and affordable access to truly healthy food.

Strengthening regulatory frameworks, enforcing stricter penalties for food fraud, and promoting verified organic practices can help bridge the gap.

(The writer is Additional Director, Research Division, Rajya Sabha Secretariat. Views expressed are personal)