New Delhi–Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Funds, has proposed a practical approach to address the escalating issue of obesity in India.
In a recent post on social media platform X, Gupta urged restaurants to introduce “half-plate” meal options on their menus. She believes this simple change could help people control portion sizes, reduce food waste, and even boost restaurant revenues.
“I’m glad that obesity is finally being recognized as a serious issue,” Gupta shared. She emphasized the importance of tackling obesity, which has become a pressing concern in the country.
Gupta suggested that many people tend to finish their full plate, even when they prefer smaller portions, because of the cultural reluctance to waste food. “One basic suggestion I have for restaurants is to offer half-portion meals. Sometimes, when dining alone, sharing is not an option. Why not price the smaller portions slightly more than half of the full meal cost, if it works financially?” she said. This model, she argued, would allow customers to eat less, reduce waste, and avoid overspending.
Her comments followed a statement from Let’s Fix Our Food (LFOF), a group led by the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, which expressed concern over India’s food environment. They highlighted that 24% of adolescents are underweight, while over 1.7 crore children and teens are obese.
Gupta’s suggestion has been widely praised, especially as obesity continues to rise globally. A recent study published in The Lancet predicts that by 2050, over 3.8 billion people, or more than half of all adults worldwide, could be overweight or obese. As of 2021, India had 18 crore people classified as overweight or obese, ranking second globally after China, which has over 40 crore such individuals. (Source: IANS)
