Misleading Nutrition Claims And Information On UPFs Need To Be Brought Under Scanner: Economic Survey

The Economic Survey 2024-25 highlighted the need for school and family-level interventions to encourage healthy pastimes.

New Delhi:Stating that sweetened breakfast cereals, soft drinks, and energy drinks to fried chicken and packaged cookies, ultra-processed food (UPFs) have undeniably marked their formidable presence in everyday diet in India causing adverse health outcomes ranging from obesity, chronic inflammatory disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and mental disorders, the Economic Survey 2024-25 tabled in the Parliament on Friday stated that misleading nutrition claims and information on UPFs need to be tackled and should be brought under the scanner.

The survey highlighted that the huge business of UPF segments has been built on hyper palatability of food items and marketing strategies involving misleading advertisements and celebrity endorsements targeting consumer behaviour.

Ultra Processed Food

"Often unhealthy packaged food items are advertised and marketed as healthy products. For example, breakfast cereals, tetra pack juices and chocolate malt drinks, often advertised as healthy and nutritious, come under the category of UPF based on their ingredients. Misleading nutrition claims and information on UPFs need to be tackled and should be brought under the scanner. Setting standards for permissible levels of salt and sugar and ensuring checks for UPF brands to adhere to the regulations are also required," it said.

"Since UPF brands often target children and adolescents, massive awareness of the potential risk factors of UPF is of utmost necessity," it stated.

A study by Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi)/Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) 2023 recommended that efforts to curb the harmful impact of UPFs should be free from food industry influence.

"The MoHFW should urgently define nutrient thresholds for sugars, salt, and saturated fats to regulate advertising, adopt warning front-of-pack labels (FOPL), and impose stricter marketing restrictions on unhealthy foods, especially targeting children under 18," it said.

Schools, hospitals, and public areas should eliminate UPFs, while incentives should promote affordable healthy food production. High GST rates and amendments to consumer protection laws could deter misleading advertising. Additionally, a coalition of civil society and government entities, free from conflicts of interest, is vital to educate the public and counter food industry interference.

"A multi-pronged approach would be required to address the concerns emerging from the increased inclusion of UPFs in diets in India. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) could consider bringing UPFs under regulation with a clear definition and standards, including stricter labelling requirements. Improved monitoring of branded products to ensure compliance would help build consumer confidence," it said.

Consumer protection efforts can be strengthened to deal with aggressive marketing and distribution practices and misleading nutrition claims in advertising, especially when they are targeted towards children and youth. A higher tax rate for UPFs may also be considered as a 'health tax' measure targeted specifically at brands/products that advertise. There is a need to generate greater awareness of the adverse impact of the consumption of UPFs through campaigns targeted at schools and colleges alongside existing health and lifestyle campaigns of the governments.

India’s Efforts To Fight UPF

The report also admitted that India has made strides in addressing its growing disease burden as a result of UPF through notable interventions such as Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018; School Children Regulation, 2020; and the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 addresses the issue of lack of a clear definition of misleading advertisement and prescribes fines for such advertising of unhealthy food products.

The Economic Survey reviews the developments in the Indian economy over the past financial year, summarises the performance on major development programs, and highlights the policy initiatives of the government.

Population-Based Screening (PBS) Initiative

To enhance early non-communicable disease (NCD) detection, the government launched the PBS initiative targeting individuals aged 30 and above for screening for common NCDs. The National NCD portal, introduced in 2018, manages patient data and integrates health records with ABHA IDs. As on date, 42.2 crore individuals enrolled (aged more than 30 years), and 39.80 crore individuals were screened for diabetes, hypertension, and common cancers, enabling timely interventions, and reducing long-term healthcare burdens.

According to the 2017 study report 'India: Health of the Nation's States' by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the proportion of deaths due to NCDs in India increased from 37.9 per cent in 1990 to 61.8 per cent in 2016. The four major NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs), and diabetes. These diseases share four common behavioural risk factors: unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption.

Health Expenditure

According to the latest National Health Accounts statistics for 2021-22, released in September 2024, the Total Health Expenditure (THE) in FY22 is estimated to be Rs 9,04,461 crore (3.8 per cent of GDP and Rs 6,602 per capita at current prices). THE per capita (at constant prices) has shown an increasing trend since FY19. Out of the THE, current health expenditure (CHE) is Rs 7,89,760 crore (87.3 per cent of THE), and capital expenditure is ₹1,14,701 crore (12.7 per cent of THE). An increase in the share of capital expenditure in THE from 6.3 per cent in FY16 to 12.7 per cent in FY22 is a positive sign as it will lead to broader and better health infrastructure.

The increase in government spending on health has an important implication for the reduction of financial hardship endured by households. In the THE of the country between FY15 and FY22, the share of GHE has increased from 29.0 per cent to 48.0 per cent. During the same period, the share of out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) in THE declined from 62.6 per cent to 39.4 per cent.

AB-PMJAY

The AB-PMJAY has revolutionised healthcare by providing health coverage to the bottom 40 per cent of India’s most vulnerable populations. It covers over 12 crore families, or approximately 55 crore individuals, and is the world’s largest health assurance scheme, offering annual hospitalisation benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh per family for secondary and tertiary care.

Launched to address health inequities, AB PMJAY prioritises the poorest segments of the population based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011, adopting a holistic and need-based approach. This initiative aligns with India’s commitment to the SDGs, ensuring no one is left behind. As of 1 January 2025, over 36.36 crore Ayushman cards have been issued.

Ayushman Bharat

Launched in 2018, AB represents a paradigm shift from selective health services to a comprehensive continuum of care, addressing prevention, promotion, and treatment across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. By transforming sub-health centres (SHCs) and primary health centres (PHCs), Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM) (formerly Health & Wellness Centres) have been operationalised, in rural and urban areas, offering a universal, free, and expanded package of preventive, promotive, curative, palliative, and rehabilitative services closer to communities.

PM-ABHIM:

Launched in October 2021, the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission is being implemented over five years from FY22 to FY26, with the aim to strengthen the public health infrastructure to fill critical gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance, and health research – spanning both the urban and rural areas.

Universal Immunisation Programme

The Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) is one of India’s most impactful public health initiatives, providing life-saving vaccines to millions of newborns and pregnant women annually. Launched as the Expanded Programme on Immunisation in 1978, it was rebranded as UIP in 1985, extending coverage from urban to rural areas to bridge healthcare disparities.

Currently, the UIP offers 11 vaccines free of cost, protecting against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases. A child who has received Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG), three doses of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), three doses of Pentavalent and one dose of Measles Rubella (MR) by the first year of age is called a fully immunised child. With full immunisation coverage for FY24 at 93.5 per cent nationally, the UIP continues to safeguard public health and ensure equitable access to essential vaccines.

Disruptive technology providing seamless and equitable healthcare

Schemes and projects like U-WIN, E-Sanjeevani, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), and other technology integration in healthcare delivery and utilisation of wearable devices for timely diagnoses and recommendations of personalised treatments to telehealth technologies that connect patients and health professionals in virtual space, aim to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Advancing healthcare through AI

The National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (2018) developed by NITI Aayog discussed how AI could help address the challenges of quality, accessibility, and affordability for a large section of the population. The strategy emphasised how AI combined with robotics and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) can potentially become the ‘new nervous system for healthcare’, providing solutions to address healthcare problems and helping the government achieve universal health for all.

Mental Health Issues

There is an urgent need for school and family-level interventions to encourage healthy pastimes (meeting with friends, playing outside). Investing time in building close family bonds would go a long way towards keeping children and adolescents away from the internet and improving mental well-being. In many ways, returning to our roots may allow us to reach further for the skies in terms of mental health.

"The scale of the problem (mental health) is immense as discussed in the Economic Survey 2023-24. Post-facto treatment will not be sufficient. It is about time to find viable, impactful preventive strategies and interventions. India's demographic dividend is riding on skills, education, physical health and, above all, mental health of its youth," it said.

Expert's View

Renowned health expert and Chair of the Clinical Practice Committee at the International Federation for Emergency Medicine Dr Tamorish Kole told ETV Bharat that a key recommendation from the survey is the need to regulate ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and curb misleading nutrition claims.

"Ensuring accurate food labelling is crucial to addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular conditions. To tackle this issue, a comprehensive food labelling and consumer awareness policy—rooted in scientific evidence—will be vital. This approach aligns with international best practices, including front-of-pack labelling systems (FoPLs) adopted in several countries to help consumers make informed dietary choices," he said.

"Advancing healthcare through AI in India must have a multi-pronged approach, including enhancing AI-driven diagnostics, integrating AI in medical education, strengthening telemedicine, and ensuring robust data governance. Deploying AI-based chatbots and virtual assistants can enhance telehealth and rural healthcare accessibility,” Dr Kole said.