By Shailender Swaminathan
India is poised for rapid economic growth, likely driven by a younger demographic that will drive production and demand. In the process, lifestyles are inevitably changing dramatically for the worse. Young people in India now report the highest increase in ultra-processed food consumption, as well as less physical activity and sleep. Cultural changes such as smart phones and the predominance of English in schools are also associated with weaker family relationships. Until recently, the role of these factors on mental health, including all our intellectual abilities, was not fully understood in the absence of extensive data. Recent findings based on a large database of over 150,000 individuals from India are beginning to reveal the correlates of adolescent mental health. The findings are dire: there is a silent epidemic of mental illness in India.
Previous studies have shown that smartphone ownership “drains” the brain. Data shows that poorer cognitive and mental health in young people is associated not just with smartphone ownership, but also with early access. Young brains are developing and need to be nurtured. These gadgets are given to young people, presumably more out of convenience than sound logic. There are legal minimum ages for drinking alcohol and driving a car. Presumably, these rules are in place because children are not yet mature enough to behave with moderation. Even without rules, parents are unlikely to hand over the car keys to their teenagers. It is surprising that parents (and some schools) can allow such unlimited use of handheld gadgets. Recently, an analysis of collected data suggests that the younger the age of access to a smartphone, the lower the chance of graduating from college. American philosopher David Henry Thoreau said more than 175 years ago that “technology is an improved means to unimproved ends.” This is an extreme view, but one worth pondering. Smartphones may be economically useful, but unrestricted use of them by teenagers is not justified.
India has reported the highest growth in the consumption of ultra-processed foods. There is also evidence that these foods are as addictive as smoking. Recent data from around the world and India indicate a strong association between ultra-processed food consumption and poorer mental health, especially in emotional and cognitive control. Further research is needed to elucidate the specific factors responsible for these effects. In this context, research and regulations to limit the widespread consumption of ultra-processed foods without awareness would be prudent. The positive association between physical exercise and mental health is well established, especially with regard to energy, pain experience and concentration. The challenge is to develop the habit of exercise despite constraints such as limited playgrounds, pressure of school exams, addictive temptations of smartphones and enrolling students in coaching classes.
Finally, the data show that family closeness is strongly associated with better mental health, especially mood, outlook, and ability to relate to others. Teens who responded to the survey in their local language reported significantly stronger family ties and better ability to relate to others than those who responded in English. However, this trend is reversed for older adults, likely due to higher income levels among those who are more comfortable with English. As more schools move to a system where English is the medium of instruction at younger ages, it will be important to explore whether this move is coming at the cost of weakened family ties and mental health.
India’s pursuit of development has generally led to rising income levels, which in turn has led to a decline in the proportion of the population living in poverty. But surprisingly, data shows that young people with family incomes of less than Rs 100,000 per year who exercise frequently, have good family ties, and rarely eat ultra-processed foods have better mental health than young people with family incomes of more than Rs 100,000 per year who lead sedentary lifestyles, have weak family ties, and frequently eat ultra-processed foods. “Back to basics” can mean many things.
India’s economic growth is closely linked to its youth, so intervention is needed before it is too late. Just two decades ago, young people had high mental health, surpassed only by older people. Today, young people have the lowest mental health. Some of the reasons for this reversal are now becoming clear, with early use of smartphones, consumption of ultra-processed foods and lack of physical activity emerging as key culprits. The time to act is now. Policymakers cannot act alone; schools, parents and medical associations have a role to play.
Above all, the private sector will also need to reflect on the role it has played in the spread of mental illness through its products and services, which will ultimately be hurt by a severe shortage of qualified, capable and productive workers and the resulting lack of demand for its products.
In relationships, the urgent often takes precedence over the important, but addressing the mental health epidemic is urgent and important, or in a few years we will realise that modern lifestyles like smart phones and processed food have eviscerated India’s demographic dividend.
Note: The data used in this article was collected by the Sapien Labs Centre for Human Brain and Mind at Clare University.
Swaminathan is director of the Sapien Lab Human Brain and Mind Centre at Clare University, and Nageswaran is principal economic adviser to the Government of India. Views expressed are personal.
