Safe foods and healthy diets are critical in the context of India's high burden of food borne diseases, under-nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and growing incidence of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension, diabetes and heart related diseases.

While on the one hand, 196 million Indians are undernourished¹, 135 million are overweight or obese² putting them at risk for non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

Further, the number of cases of food borne illnesses is expected to rise from 100 million to 150 - 177 million in 2030 compared to 2011³. This will directly impact the ability to absorb nutrients, fight infection, rendering millions vulnerable to a host of diseases.

In addition, the current food production and consumption food practices are threatening the environment and the future of our planet.Food production is responsible for up to 30% of global greenhouse-gas emissions contributing to global warming⁴.Global food waste accounts for 6.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, directly leading to climate change⁵.

This underlines the need to focus on preventive healthcare through ensuring safe, healthy food for all people in an environmentally sustainable way.

Sources:

1. Chronic Hungry: FAO State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2018
2. Ahirwar & Mondal (2019). Prevalence of obesity in India: A systematic review Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome, Clinical Research & Reviews Vol, 13:1, 318-321
3. The economics of food safety in India?a rapid assessment by Wageningen Economic Research and ILRI 2017.
4. EAT-Lancet Commission: Brief for Farmers
5. FAO: Food Wastage Footprint & Climate Change