Archive · 22 Dec 2025
High Prices and Ads Hinder Healthy Eating Among Indian Adolescents
A big study in India found that many teenagers have a hard time eating healthy food.
Almost 70% of them said ads make them want to eat junk food, and 30% said healthy food is too expensive.
Only about one-third eat fruits and vegetables every day, and half sometimes eat junk food.
Many teens read food labels, but over 60% think they should be easier to understand.
The researchers say the government should make healthy food cheaper and easier to find, and stop so many ads for unhealthy food.
68% of Indian adolescents say ads influence their food choices.
30% find high costs a barrier to healthy eating.
Only 33% eat fruits and vegetables daily, while 50% occasionally consume junk food.
73% read nutrition labels, but 63% find them confusing.
Researchers call for policies to make healthy food more accessible and affordable.
- Who
- Adolescents in India
- What
- Barriers to healthy eating
- When
- Study published last week
- Where
- India
- Why
- High prices, aggressive marketing, and confusing labels
- Study Participants
- 138,000 teenagers
- Influence of Ads
- 68%
- High Costs as Barrier
- 30%
- Daily Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
- 33%
- Occasional Junk Food Consumption
- 50%
- Regular Junk Food Consumption
- 15%
- Nutrition Labels Read
- 73%
- Need for Simplified Labels
- 63%