How fast food is fuelling India’s health crisis

The growing cases of food adulteration and rising consumption of fast food and ultra-processed foods are among the major factors contributing to India’s public health crisis marked by rising rates of non-communicable diseases and overnutrition.

According to a report by the National Restaurants Association of India (2010), the fast food industry in the country was estimated to be valued between Rs 6,750 to Rs 8,000 crores, with an annual growth rate of 35 per cent to 40 per cent. Multiple factors contributed to the boom in the fast food industry, including economic liberalisation, fast food culture, changing lifestyle preferences and social structure. 

Rise of fast food culture

The liberalisation of the Indian economy in the 1990s contributed to a boom in the restaurant industry, particularly in urban spaces. Historically, India did not have a tradition of public dining, which changed with the growth of fast food entries and other restaurants. The expansion of cities, growth of the middle-class and increase in their incomes, and changing work patterns further contributed to this shift. Eating out became a part of public life as middle-class families began to socialise outside homes, with cinema halls, shopping malls, restaurants, etc. emerging as popular hangouts. 

Political scientist Leela Fernandes in her book, India’s New Middle Class: Democratic Politics in an Era of Economic Reform (2006), has shown how the middle-class ethos became connected to consumerist activities like eating out. Closely connected to these social trends is the fact that more urban upper-caste women began entering the workforce. Such changes in the broader social structure facilitated the rise of fast food, ultra-processed and packaged foods. 

For instance, Tulasi Srinivas in her article, ‘As Mother Made It’: The Cosmopolitan Indian Family, ‘Authentic’ Food and the Construction of Cultural Utopia, published in the International Journal of Sociology of the Family in 2006, argues that the rise of packaged foods enabled migrant Indian women to cook their traditional foods even outside the country. Processed, packaged and fast foods are marketed as convenient, time-saving, easy to cook and affordable. For people with hectic work schedules, such foods are seen as saviours.

Shift in consumer culture and lifestyle preferences

The fast food industry has also been able to capture the market through cultural adaptation and local innovation. For instance, McDonald’s has India-specific items like the aloo tikki and McPaneer burgers on their menu to cater to the vegetarian population. They also have specific food items for festivals like Navaratri. Celebrating special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries in fast food outlets and restaurants has become a youth aspiration. 

The rise of these outlets coincides with India’s growing consumerist culture, rooted in a neo-liberal economic shift. Celebrity endorsements of such foods also fuelled this trend. For instance, beverages like Pepsi and Coca-Cola have been promoted by some of the leading Bollywood actors. Beverage companies also sponsor the Indian National Men’s Cricket Team. Such associations have had a huge impact on how young people perceive and consume these products. 

There is a significant information gap even amongst India’s educated youth about the health hazards of consuming such foods. This was evident in the resistance to a government directive that street food sellers should indicate calories count next to food items like samosas and jalebis. This was largely driven by emotional and nostalgic attachments to such food items.  

At the same time, corporate lobbying complicates efforts to promote healthy eating habits. For instance, in 2008, biscuit manufacturers and ready-to-eat food companies proposed to supply either biscuits or pre-cooked meals to school children under the Mid Day Meal (MDM) scheme. Although the proposal got the support of 29 Members of Parliament, the Ministry of Human Resource Department (HRD) rejected it after consultations with nutrition experts. This episode underscores the need for efficient state policies to counter the corporate profit-driven lobbying that compromises public health. 

Health hazards and regulation of fast food

The public health crisis is also exacerbated by the easy availability of processed, packaged, and fast foods. India is often called the ‘diabetes capital of the world’. A growing number of young people are affected by obesity and non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and thyroid. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 77 million people above the age of 18 suffer from diabetes (type 2) in India. Most people remain unaware of their diabetic status, which leads to health complications.

A 2024 study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has found that ultra-processed and fried foods high in Advanced Glycation End-products (AGE) are significantly fueling India’s escalating diabetes crisis. The study also says that certain cooking methods, like frying, further exacerbate the problem.

The WHO recommends diets that exclude ultra-processed foods. It advises consuming less than 5 per cent of the daily diet as free sugar, less than 10 per cent as saturated fats, less than 1 per cent as trans fats, and less than 5 grams of salt per day. The state may consider adopting the NOVA classification of foods as a policy. The NOVA classification groups foods into four categories: unprocessed or minimally processed, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods. 

This classification helps evaluate the impact of food on health and, if adopted at a policy level, could be used to guide citizens about better nutritional practices. In addition, appropriate food labelling displaying ingredients and calorie counts is essential, alongside stricter laws on adherence by companies.

Moreover, special attention needs to be paid to India’s youth and children. Mid-day meals in government schools and canteen food in colleges and universities should be nutritionally balanced. There is a need for legislation that clearly defines junk food and restricts its marketing, particularly to children and adolescents. The proposed ‘fat tax’ on junk foods would be a welcome step. 

Some examples of how other countries have dealt with similar concerns merit a mention here. For instance, Mexico imposed higher taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages in 2014. South Korea placed restrictions on television advertising of energy-dense and nutrient-poor (EDNP) foods targeting children through the Special Act on Safety Management of Children’s Dietary Life in 2010. Such policies would help India regulate its fast food, packaged and processed foods industries and address the growing non-communicable diseases.

Post read questions

How do you account for the growing fast food industries given that there are increased health concerns in modern society? Illustrate your answer with the Indian experience.

In what ways has India’s growing middle class contributed to the rise of fast food consumption? How do fast food and processed food industries adapt to local cultures to expand their market in India?

Discuss how gender roles and women’s participation in the workforce have influenced the rise of processed and convenience foods in urban India.

Examine the relationship between neoliberal economic reforms and the growth of India’s fast food industry.

Evaluate existing regulatory mechanisms governing the fast food industry. What multi-pronged approach could help effectively address health issues posed the growing consumption of processed, packaged, and fast foods.

(Rituparna Patgiri is an Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati. In the second part of this article, the author will examine the legal framework around marriage.)

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