India needs regulation, awareness on junk food to fight obesity: Luke Coutinho

Coutinho says ''we need to have regulation and awareness about junk food for children and adults, which is contributing towards the obesity epidemic''

New Delhi: India needs regulation and awareness on junk food to fight obesity in India, said Luke Coutinho, holistic health coach, while praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to fight the condition in the country.

”Prime Minister Narendra Modi is absolutely right in his vision of combating this problem of obesity,” said Coutinho, during his visit to an Anganwadi Centre in New Delhi.

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”We need to have regulation and awareness about junk food for children and adults, which is contributing towards the obesity epidemic,” Coutinho said. He added that nutrition must begin right from an early age and education about nutrition must be imparted in languages across the country.

He also emphasised the need to boost access to local superfoods like millet. ”Modi has encouraged us to use local superfoods. We can maintain a natural balanced diet with these foods and support the macros of proteins, carbohydrates and fat,” said Coutinho, co-founder of Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems.

During an address in the 119th Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, PM Modi discussed rising cases of obesity and the need to prevent it as it can lead to several diseases like hypertension, diabetes and cancer. According to a recent study, one in every eight people today is troubled by the problem of obesity.

“Cases of obesity have doubled in the past years, but, what is even more worrying is that the problem of obesity has increased fourfold even among children. WHO data shows that in 2022, about 250 crore people around the world were overweight; that is, they had more weight than required,” the PM said.

He suggested ”reducing the consumption of edible oil by 10 per cent.” While expressing support for the mission against obesity, he said: ”Everyone should take personal responsibility as an Indian citizen to do our part and choose the right food, exercise every day and focus on our mental and emotional health”.

The expert added that we need awareness and mindfulness and Ghar-ka-khana (home cooked food) has to be promoted… to make India healthy.