A study of perceptions about healthy food advertised in select urban areas in India

The percentage of the obese and overweight population in India has alarmingly increased over the last few years. It is described as a global epidemic that needs to be controlled. The two main reasons for obesity and overweight are lack of physical activity and lack of balanced diet. Childhood Obesity leads to many chronic diseases in adulthood if not cured. With the lifestyle change, physical activity has gradually decreased; therefore, a balanced diet is necessary to fight obesity. Obesity can also be controlled among the youth so that it is not carried forward in adulthood. Consequently, it is imperative to know what makes them buy products that claim to be healthy. Advertisers use the central or peripheral route of advertising to endorse the products and add labels as heuristic cues to help buyers make a healthy choice. A questionnaire that was given to the sample to understand their perception of food products that claim to be healthy indicated that the influence of celebrity brand endorsers varies with categories of food products. It also indicated that all labels do not influence the buyer. The buyers who claimed to check nutrient facts of the products also perceived the products to be healthy. Government guidelines have been established for nutritional claims made by the advertisers, but more information needs to be given to the buyers so that they can make an informed decision.