High prices and aggressive marketing are among the biggest barriers preventing adolescents in India from choosing healthy food, a nationwide study of more than 138,000 teenagers has found.

Nearly 68 per cent of respondents said advertisements influenced what they eat, while 30 per cent said high costs discouraged them from choosing healthier options, the study by an academic research consortium found.

“There’s been a conspicuous lack of research in India on what drives food choices by adolescents — we’ve tried to address this gap,” said Monika Arora, vice-president for research and health promotion at the Public Health Foundation of India in New Delhi, who led the study.

The findings reveal inconsistent and uneven eating habits, even among adolescents who want to eat better. Only one in three respondents reported eating fruits and vegetables daily, while another 36 per cent consumed them three times a week. Junk food remains common, with nearly half reporting occasional consumption and about 15 per cent eating it at least twice a week.

Arora said the results underline the need to move beyond placing responsibility solely on individuals. “We need stronger, evidence-informed policies that make healthy choices the easy choices — by improving access, affordability and the food environments young people are exposed to,” she said.

She said fiscal measures could play a role. “Higher taxes on unhealthy foods with high levels of fats, salt and sugar could be an effective option and implementable as quickly as in the next Union budget,” Arora said.

Access alone does not explain adolescents’ food choices. While three-quarters of respondents said healthy food was available to them, one in 10 reported wanting to eat healthily but being unable to do so because such options were not easily accessible. Others cited high prices, poor taste, limited variety, and convenience as reasons for avoiding healthier foods.

The study, published last week in the journal BMC Nutrition, also highlights gaps in how nutrition information is communicated.

Although about 73 per cent of adolescents said they read nutrition labels on packaged foods, many struggle to understand them. Nearly 63 per cent said food labels need to be simplified to help them make better decisions.

Researchers said this combination — aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods, confusing labels, and cost pressures — often outweighs adolescents’ basic awareness of what constitutes healthy eating.

“We find that many young people want to make healthier choices, but they need supportive environments to do so,” said Tina Rawal, senior research scientist at the foundation and a member of the study team. “This includes stronger nutrition education in schools, clearer food labelling, and curbs on the marketing of unhealthy foods to adolescents.”

The findings come amid long-standing concerns over adolescent nutrition in India. A health ministry survey has suggested that over 10 per cent of adolescents have elevated blood sugar levels linked to diabetes risk, and 16 per cent show markers associated with heart disease. Daily fruit consumption remains below 10 per cent, and a quarter of adolescents do not eat green leafy vegetables even once a week.

The researchers say their findings underscore the need for action by government departments to curb the aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods and improve access to healthier options.

G. Subbarao, a team member at the National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad, said the findings pointed to the need for “urgent action from schools, policymakers and food regulators” to improve nutrition education and food literacy, simplify labels, and make healthy foods both affordable and attractive.