Luke Coutinho, the well-known Mumbai-based integrative lifestyle expert and Fit India Ambassador appointed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recently (May 1) launched the Bharat School Menu and Lifestyle Plan for children in the three-14 age group. Excerpts from an interview with Reshma Ravishanker

 

What is the objective of the Bharat School Menu and Lifestyle Plan?

During a recent visit to an Anganwadi centre in New Delhi it became clear to me that in cities and villages, children are struggling with obesity, hormonal imbalances, poor immunity, cognitive challenges, and attention disorders. The objective of the Bharat School Menu is to provide balanced meal plans paired with simple, actionable lifestyle guidelines that are age-appropriate and easy to implement at school and home. The goals of the menu are to address the protein gap early, minimise oil intake, encourage the use of local, seasonal, and traditional foods, and build balanced plates that support children’s healthy growth, digestion, immunity, and mental focus.

The free-of charge Bharat School Menu and Lifestyle Plan will be released on the first of every month for a year.

 

How does the Bharat School Menu address the growing crisis of childhood obesity in middle class India?

Sedentary lifestyles and overconsumption of poor-quality carbohydrates and junk foods in urban India are resulting in health problems such as diabetes and other chronic metabolic conditions. We have curated the Bharat Menu to include an optimal mix of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats and fiber-rich, whole, gut-friendly foods. Each age-appropriate plan includes lifestyle tips to build children’s resilience and metabolic health.

The reason we are focusing on children’s meals is that our country is dealing with two foundational issues today — malnutrition and overnutrition. Children are eating too much of the wrong foods, resulting in serious nutrient deficiencies. This form of hidden hunger must be addressed early, through balanced meals and supportive lifestyle habits.

 

What advice would you give parents to encourage healthy eating habits in children and revive interest in traditional Indian foods?

Children revere their parents as role models. If parents consume packaged food or are always ordering out, it’s unrealistic to expect children to choose ragi or moong dal over junk food. To familiarise children with traditional foods, start with including local, indigenous foods in family meals — stock the pantry with millets and native pulses, involve kids in grocery shopping and weekend visits to local farmers’ markets. Teach children to recognize the names and textures of dals, grains, and millets. This early exposure creates comfort and curiosity, not resistance. Empowered children grow into empowered consumers.

 

You’re a strong advocate of local Indian superfoods. Which ones do you recommend specifically for children, and why?

Through our Bharat School Menu we want to demonstrate that superfoods don’t need to be imported. They’re already available in our kitchens — ragi (finger millet), jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet), amaranth leaves, kala chana (black chickpeas), moong dal (green gram), drumsticks, turmeric, curry leaves, ajwain (carom seeds), amla (Indian gooseberry) and moringa. These foods improve immunity, digestion, and growth, and are rich in essential nutrients. Parents need to educate children on the benefits of Indian superfoods — this is the spirit of PM Modi’s vision of ‘Make in India, Heal in India.’

 

There is parental demand to restrict advertisements endorsing food with high sugar and salt content to children. Your comment?

Restricting ads won’t address the root cause. Today’s smart children need guidance. That’s why initiatives like the Bharat School Menu and Lifestyle Plan focus on grassroots education. Real change comes from awareness, not by shielding them from temptation. We need to teach the next generation to eat better and live healthier.

Also Read: Schools told to curb sugar intake: CBSE launches health awareness drive