UNICEF Workshop Empowers Media on Child Nutrition & Healthy Food Choices

The workshop focused on how food environments - what is affordable, visible, and heavily marketed - shape children's diets far more than individual choice alone. Participants discussed the growing coexistence of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight, and obesity, driven in part by the increasing availability of ultra-processed foods.

"What children eat today is shaped not only by individual choice, but by the food environments that surround them," said Sourav Bhattacharjee, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Odisha. "Clear front-of-pack labelling, responsible marketing, and supportive food policies can help families make informed choices. The media plays a vital role in explaining these issues, making invisible influences visible, and building public understanding around what truly supports healthy diets and so that children eat right and stay bright."

The workshop highlighted that healthy diets are foundational to children's growth, learning, immunity, and overall well-being, while poor diet quality increases the risk of non-communicable diseases and challenges later in life. Discussions drew on national and Odisha-specific data to underline the long-term health and economic costs of inaction.

Emphasising the media's role, discussions highlighted how thoughtful reporting can help position nutrition as a matter of collective responsibility and public importance. "Media has the power to shape how people think about food and health," said Astha Alang, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Odisha. "By telling responsible, evidence-based stories, the media can inspire families to value nutritious diets, protect children from harmful food influences, and celebrate local food traditions that nourish both health and culture," she added.

Participants also discussed the importance of sustained coverage that goes beyond awareness to accountability. Kasturi Ray, President of Odisha Women in Media, emphasised the importance of ethical journalism in reporting. She said, "Healthy diets is not just a health issue -- it is a social issue. Ethical, informed journalism can help move the conversation from fear and trends to balance and well-being. This collaboration reflects our commitment to empowering media professionals with the tools to question misinformation and report on nutrition in a way that truly serves the public interest".

By engaging women media professionals, the workshop aimed to promote nuanced, solutions-oriented coverage that keeps children's well-being at the centre of public discourse and helps normalise healthy, affordable, and culturally rooted diets.

- ANI