SUSTAINABLE NUTRITIONAL HEALTH AND THE CONSUMER RIGHTS OF YOUTH: LEGAL, INSTITUTIONAL, AND POLICY PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Nutrition is a key factor in affecting the physical and mental health, and future capabilities of youth. The right to sustainable nutrition should be acknowledged as a fundamental component of human rights, particularly for young consumers, in the modern world when environmental difficulties and changes in lifestyle are major concerns. This essay examines the relationship between sustainable growth, consumer rights, and a healthy diet, emphasizing the role of young people as both crucial and vulnerable actors. It looks at how young people's health and quality of life are threatened by bad dietary choices that are exacerbated by economic and environmental variables. It concludes with policy recommendations and a call to action for a comprehensive strategy that incorporates public awareness, legal protection, green innovation, and youth empowerment to secure a sustainable future. This paper explores the important relationship between nutritional health and the consumer rights of youth in India. The right to enough nutrition is crucial for ensuring the right to life, health, and growth for young people. The need of legal and policy mechanisms to defend the rights of young people is increasing as they are the primary focus of aggressive marketing for harmful processed foods. The study examines court rulings, consumer protection laws, and national and international legislation that impact young consumers' nutritional rights. It also identifies weaknesses and offers solutions for enhancing the preservation and advancement of young people's nutritional health within a sustainable development framework. This essay examines the institutional, legal, and policy frameworks that regulate nutritional health in India and assesses the role that consumer rights play in preserving the nutritional well-being of youth. It explores the intricate connection between young consumer rights and nutritional health, emphasizing the growing importance of sustainable food practices and quality-of-life-improving regulations. With rising worries about malnutrition, diseases related to lifestyle, and the aggressive marketing of unhealthy food to young people, exploring legal and institutional strategies becomes essential.