UNICEF Bhubaneswar Hosts Influencers Meet to Promote Healthy Diets for Children and Youth

Bhubaneswar: UNICEF Bhubaneswar today hosted an Influencers Meet, bringing together prominent film actors, sports personalities, and singers to advocate for healthier diets among children, adolescents, and families across India. The gathering created a collaborative platform for celebrities to share insights, personal experiences, and ideas on how to inspire their audiences to make better food choices.

The discussions focused on the growing challenges of poor diet quality, rising obesity rates, and the increasing consumption of unhealthy foods. Participants emphasized the urgent need for collective action to support children’s well-being through improved nutrition.

Speaking at the event, Marie-Claude Desilets, Chief of the Nutrition Section, UNICEF India, highlighted the transformative role of social media. “Social media shapes how young people learn and choose what to eat. By joining hands with influencers, we have a unique opportunity to turn accurate, evidence-based nutrition messages into something relatable, engaging, and genuinely cool for Gen Z,” she said. She added that healthy diets can be fun, creative, and aspirational, and that influencers can help counter misinformation while sparking a movement that champions nutritious food choices.

Odisha film actress Anu Chowdhury, addressing the audience, said, “We need to change the narrative: eating healthy is the ultimate performance enhancer and the real path to a joyful, energetic life. My generation of celebrities has a duty to make fruits and vegetables more ‘viral’ than processed snacks. I’m proud to stand with UNICEF to help create a nationwide movement for healthier food choices.”

Actress Elina Samantray stressed the importance of making healthy eating appealing to young audiences. “It’s not enough to tell children, ‘Don’t eat junk.’ We must show them exciting, affordable, and easy alternatives using our local, traditional foods. Our goal should be to make these healthy options just as popular and desirable as any processed snack,” she said.

UNICEF Bhubaneswar’s Nutrition Specialist, Sourav Bhattacharjee, underscored the influence celebrities hold in shaping public attitudes. “Celebrities and influencers have a powerful voice. Their reach and relatability can help transform how communities think about food, nutrition, and health. Together, we can create a movement that encourages every child to grow up healthy and strong,” he noted.

Buoyed by the shared consensus, the influencers expressed enthusiastic commitment to collaborating with UNICEF. They discussed how they could leverage their platforms—through storytelling, creative social media content, community engagement, and public endorsements—to motivate young people and families to adopt healthier diets and lifestyle practices.