Counting steps: India’s long road to fitness

Bengaluru: In December last year, Atin Singhal, a resident of Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, reported multiple health ailments including a liver infection after consuming a brand of protein powder he bought online. Three men from neighbouring Ghaziabad were arrested; they had put together the spurious product at a factory in Noida. Singhal’s complaint to the police was that note of caution against unmarked fringe players in a booming, multi-million dollar industry; it was a caveat to the claim. 

That these men could sell the adulterated powder through popular e-commerce platforms lends context to this seemingly routine story of small-time crime and eventual punishment. When quick-fix wellness products and “easy-to-do” home workout regimens are finding unprecedented traction on social media, often without disclaimers, would mere caution suffice? If regulations cannot keep pace with growth, what will bring balance before burnout?

Statista, a German company that specialises in data gathering, projects an annual growth rate of 6.04 per cent (CAGR 2022-2029) for the health and fitness market in India, with the volume estimated to reach $36.9 million by 2029. Conservative projections put the number of gym memberships in the country at around 50 lakh but the outlook is promising, with multiple factors driving the numbers post-Covid. Urban-rural divides are blurring; access is being democratised. The threat of lifestyle-related diseases has always contributed — now, with the focus on personalisation aided by wearable devices and mobile apps, India’s fitness culture could be witnessing a generational shift.

The abundance of choice has shaped an unchecked business landscape where large sections of uninitiated consumers are left to pick from a pool of trainers, services and products that may or may not have the relevant credentials. 

India’s physical training practitioners and facilities do not come with the ‘government-recognised’ stamp — otherwise a mark of trustworthiness across sectors — but is the consumer discerning enough to care? 

Need for regulation

Sunil Kumar, a Bengaluru-based techie-turned-trainer, breaks it down to the basics: People want to get into fitness only when they face a health-related issue. From the consumer standpoint, the focus remains on the preventive, and unlike in countries like the US, India does not have authorised agencies or regulatory bodies that ensure standard practices. “A regulatory body would do a world of wonders for the sector but I am not hopeful. At the policy level, a move like that could face stiff opposition because a fitter population does not make business sense for certain interest groups in the healthcare industry. There have been initiatives at the national level but after promising starts, they have all fizzled out; they never really got to the next level,” says Sunil.

He notes that uninformed approaches to physical training careers are worrisome as well — “Sometimes, all it takes is a friend to say, ‘You have a good body, you should be a trainer’.” Sunil has an ACE (American Council on Exercise) certification and has been training clients since 2010.

India’s Ministry of Food Processing Industries has taken note of a pandemic-induced consumer shift towards preventive healthcare, significantly driving sales of immunity-boosting supplements. It has estimated India’s nutraceutical — a blend of “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical” — market will grow to approximately $18 billion by 2025. India’s share in the global nutraceutical market is under 2 per cent; the government attributes this to the absence of “defined industry classification” within the ministries. Since November 2021, a task force under the Principal Scientific Advisor has been proposing policy measures to address challenges in the sector.

The market for dietary supplements, valued at $3,924 million in 2020, is projected to reach $10,199 million by 2026. There are more conversations around standardisation and identifying counterfeit products; new narratives about integrating traditional systems such as Ayurveda with modern science are being endorsed as well. There are concerted efforts by the government to leverage the interest, as seen in the plans to regulate nutraceuticals to match global standards. 

Licensing mechanisms

The ministry sees the proposed comprehensive regulatory framework — to be established by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) — as the game-changer which could also attract massive foreign investment. How could these regulatory mechanisms be developed towards universal coverage? Can the processes of certification, testing, and grievance redressal be streamlined and their collective accountability traced to one governing authority?

But more critically, there is a case for changing traditional approaches to product certification.

While the existing licensing mechanisms seek to ensure that the products have the right ingredients in the right amounts and that the manufacturing is done in adherence to prescribed guidelines, there are no systems to qualify the nutritional impact on the consumers and, in turn, to make the certification process more informed.

Rithvik Kumar, a research advisor in a technology research and consulting firm in Bengaluru, has been a daily consumer of protein supplements for six years. He calls the recent conversation around quality standards “hysteria”. “I only look at one thing, which is the whey protein isolate, and avoid the fluff with flavours and other additives. One scoop of protein and creatine each is the protocol followed by most of the gym-goers,” he says. Rithvik does not worry too much about the brand or quality standards and points out that protein powder is “just a supplement” that helps meet macronutrient needs. “If it is a half-decent brand, it should not be a problem. It is almost impossible to attribute one’s athletic performance or muscle gain in the gym to the brand or quality of the protein powder,” he says.

Srinivas Rao Chinta, joint advisor at the Ministry of Ayush, contends that the licensing processes are all-encompassing. “With nutraceuticals, there is always a need to improve regulatory systems but the procedures being followed are clear; they cover all the relevant aspects,” he says.

Health impacts

Globally, data and scientific evidence are increasingly influencing consumer choices — from physical appearance to nutrition to sleep and mindfulness. Industry analysts note that this shift towards a personalised, data-driven approach could find larger public acceptance in a diverse market like India only through a combination of mass awareness initiatives and regulations that ensure deterrence. Aji S, Deputy Commissioner of Food Safety, Thiruvananthapuram zone, underlines what he calls a larger issue: Irresponsible use of products, certified or otherwise, which could lead to severe long-term health impacts.

“The FSSAI can ensure that only products that follow the prescribed standards enter the market but people tend to use supplements without factoring in important parameters like body types and underlying conditions that are unique to individuals. This is where nutritionists become critical. The consumer has access to multiple choices; nutritional centres promote brands in line with their business interests but the use of these products should be backed by an in-house medical practitioner, after individual consultations with the consumer. The prescription has to be customised,” he says.

Varnit Yadav, a Lucknow-based exercise and nutrition coach, notes that while consuming a supplement is an effective way to deal with a health challenge or nutritional deficiency, many products serve no purpose and are “a waste of money”. Well-researched citations, papers, and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials can help ascertain the product’s efficacy. “Although the FSSAI guidelines are in place for a thorough check, duplicate brands find loopholes to sell inferior products. Third party-tested lab reports are another way to ensure product quality at the highest level,” he says. He emphasises professional consultation before adding supplements to diets.

It is the retailer’s responsibility to ensure that in-store products adhere to prescribed standards, but in a market where sellers promise everything from perfect skin to healthy ageing, quality control becomes a touch more complicated than assigning responsibilities. Changing market behaviour is also pushing authorities to widen the scope of their action — Aji points to surveillance studies and crackdowns that are specifically targeted at counterfeit nutritional products — but these measures will need to be complemented with efforts to bring among the public a sense of healthy apprehension. The question has to be: Is this good for me?

Apps, privacy and undue influence

Revenue from India’s fitness apps market is projected to reach $315.37 million this year. This is estimated to grow at 3.69 per cent (CAGR 2025-2029) to reach a market volume of $364.51 million by 2029. User penetration — at 8.46 per cent in 2025 — is projected to hit 9.24 per cent by 2029. The technologies involve storing and processing of personal health-relevant data for further customisation. When the risk of privacy breaches is real, regulations become non-negotiable.

A Medical Informatics team at the St John’s Research Institute (SJRI), Bengaluru, in a written response to questions around the subject of privacy in biomonitoring and wearables, notes that India’s regulatory landscape is “fragmented”.

While the FSSAI regulates nutraceuticals and food supplements, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) regulates medical devices — wearables that monitor ECG are categorised as medical devices and are regulated by CDSCO. However, the SJRI team notes, many fitness and wellness devices are not regulated and may not provide accurate information.

“As devices are becoming more and more innovative, the incorporation of AI in these wearable devices presents additional challenges. With the use of AI, devices are not merely counters but can perform advanced analytical functions such as personalised fitness tracking, predictive health monitoring by analysing physiological data, biometric analysis, and real-time guidance,” says Tony D S Raj, Dean, SJRI.

Varnit explains that all devices carry a range of errors, but they are reasonable enough (5-10 per cent, and sometimes up to 20 per cent for specific parameters) for a person to rely on them. “Not all brands create quality products, so one must keep that in mind before the purchase,” he says.

The draft Digital Personal Data Protection Act takes note of concerns over large amounts of personal data collected by wearable technologies and the issue of confidentiality.

The regulations stipulate measures that companies must adhere to while collecting, storing, and processing personal data.

“The implementation of the Act will determine data privacy protection for consumers and will ensure compliance from all stakeholders. AI-driven medical devices need to be clinically validated to establish their safety, accuracy, and reliability. In terms of regulations for AI technologies in medical devices, changes are required to adapt to the ever-changing AI ecosystem,” Raj says.

Regulations do not always take out the risk of unscientific advice on health and fitness, especially at a time when the social media influencers double as bona fide experts. In August 2023, the Department of Consumer Affairs released guidelines to address these concerns.

Certified medical practitioners and health and fitness experts holding certifications from recognised institutions must disclose their credentials when sharing information, promoting products or services, or making health-related claims.

Celebrities and influencers “presenting themselves as health experts or medical practitioners” are required to provide clear disclaimers. When promoting health and wellness products or services, they are also required to clarify that their content “should not be seen as a substitute” for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Industry watchers maintain that the efforts towards a consolidated regulatory framework will also need to consider the harm done by influencers, to ensure that products and services based on anecdotal, unscientific evidence — often promoted for money — do not find larger consumer acceptance.

(With inputs from Udbhavi Balakrishna in Bengaluru)