Unhealthy food habits, lifestyle behind rising NCDs—Food Safety Commissioner Anoop Khinchi

• KOHIMA — Commissioner and Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Anoop Khinchi, on Monday cautioned that non-communicable diseases are increasing today because of the unhealthy food habits and lifestyle, citing that even cases of blood pressures and diabetes among young children are increasing.

Anoop Khinchi addressing the observation of World Food Safety Day 2025 in Kohima. (EM Images)

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• Khinchi, who is also the Commissioner of Food Safety, was speaking during the observation of World Food Safety Day 2025, organised by the State Food Safety Authority, Health and Family Welfare department, at Chandmari Higher Secondary School, Kohima, on the theme ‘Food safety: Science in action.’
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• Reminding that if a person takes more calories than they require, it goes into the body and all the diseases start, he highlighted the rising cases of diabetes among children, largely due to unknowingly over-consuming processed and fast foods.
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• The health official advised the students to be careful and eat fresh cooked food, and also reduce salt, sugar and oil, while increasing physical activity.

A section of the gathering during the observation of World Food Safety Day 2025 in Kohima. (EM Images)

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• Khinchi emphasised that this year's celebration highlights the important role science plays in making informed decisions about food — innovation and data can reduce the threat of food-borne illnesses, ensuring food safety through various researches by providing the right tools and knowledge that prevent contamination of food, extend shelf life and improve quality.
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• He also stressed that science helps people understand what makes food unsafe and guides them on how to prevent food-borne diseases. He said it is through science that one can identify and manage food allergies, creating safer options for individuals with dietary restrictions and allergies.
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• Additionally, the Food Commissioner asserted that access to safe and nutritious food is key to sustaining life and promoting good health, citing that unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances can cause more than 200 different diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancer.

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  “Unsafe food creates a various cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick,” he said and added that a safe food supply also supports national economies, trade and tourism, fostering sustainable development.
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• He also opined that the globalisation of food trade, a growing world population, climate change and rapidly changing food systems have an impact on the safety of food.
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• Further, Khinchi mentioned that food safety is a shared responsibility whether one is a policymaker, a food business operator, an educator or a consumer. He advised the public to always check food labels like nutritional content, manufacturing date, best before, ingredients, disclaimer on the food packet and whether the food products is registered under FSSAI to ensure the quality of the food.

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• Dr. Mereninla Senlem, head of the Health and Family Welfare department, highlighted the anti-obesity drive, noting that obesity is currently escalating at an alarming rate nationwide, affecting both urban and rural communities.
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• The shift towards processed food, reduced physical activity and lifestyle changes has further contributed to the growing crisis, she opined, adding that it has become a major public health challenge in India, affecting people across all age groups and increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, joint problems, respiratory issues etc., driven by unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, ad environmental factors.
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• Senlem disclosed that as per the national Family Health Survey (NFHS-)-5 (2019-21), overall 24% of Indian women and 23% of Indian men are overweight or obese.
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• The survey also revealed that among individuals aged 15-49, 6.4% of women and 4.0% of men were obese. Additionally, a concerning rise was observed in the percentage of overweight children under 5.
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• The organisers shared that some of the foods to avoid includes high sugar snacks, fried and processed foods, high calories desserts, and limit screen time.
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• Experts recommended incorporating whole grains, pulses, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein-rich foods into daily diets, as well as promoting outdoor play.
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• Additionally, they conducted demonstrations on common food adulterants.