As a father of a 5-year-old boy, I have observed my son watching Chhota Bheem- a popular Indian cartoon series- on the television recently.

The cartoon series has shown Boondi Laddoo as a source of instant energy for the lead character. This is on the lines of how Spinach was a source of instant energy and strength for Popeye- a popular American cartoon series.

My son Atharv is a fussy eater like all the other children are, but in addition to being fussy, he does not like to explore new food items by nature.

Suddenly, he wants to eat BoondiLadoo under the influence of the cartoon series presumably.

Although his mother is content by the fact that he has explored a new food item, however, me being a father working in the nutrition and food sector, I am not happy.

Being a resident of a protein-malnourished country and the diabetes capital of the world, are we really portraying Boondi Laddoo- which is high sugar and fat item- as a source of energy and strength? Will our children grow to this false information?

As an eve teaser would be asked, ”Don’t you have mother or sister at home”, similarly I would like to ask the content creators of Chhota Bheem,” Don’t you have children at home? Will you really make them eat Boondi Laddoos for strength?”

Our protein consumption has reduced drastically and it is on a continuous decline.

According to a recent report by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), rural households were consuming 56.5 g in 2011-12, down from 60.2g in 1993-94, while urban households were consuming 55.7g, down from 57.2g in 1993-94.

In contrast, the national daily intake of protein in Japan was 69.1g in 2015; the figures for the USA are even higher.

The startling fact is that 31per cent of urban children and 41.2 per cent of rural children under the age of 5 are stunted (height-for-age) as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4).

Apart from many other reasons for this debacle, one of the main reasons is the lack of protein in food consumption pattern in the country.

FSSAI with its new law is stopping sales of HFSS (High in Salt, Sugar & Fat food) in proximity of schools.

It is a commendable and forward-thinking step but are they really hitting the nail on the head?

We do not need a big consultancy firm to check how the mindset of our children are changing and are influenced by the amount of time spent in front of the screens.

On average, a child is consuming 1-2 hours of screen time which is mostly spent watching the various cartoon series.

For the child, the protagonist of a cartoon series is more influential than the parents and the teachers.

The child imitates him throughout the day and in most cases wants to be like him.

If the protagonist is not responsible and an ideal role model (in terms of his food habits), then improving the nutrition of this country looks like a goal never to be met.

A half an hour viewing of any kid’s channel will flood your sense organs with content and advertisement promoting all kind of HFSS food showing it as healthy and joyful.

We as parents, especially as a mother, content ourselves with a sigh of relief that at least the child is eating something (mostly high fat and sugar item) not realising the fact that it's a slow poison which leads to obesity as the child is used to HFSS food & changing habit later is impossible.

Hence, it is inevitable now for the government as well as civil society at large to hit the nail on the head and regulate the contents in the cartoon series to develop healthy eating habits.

As responsible parents, we all are trying hard to reduce the screen time and regulate the content they are watching online but there are times when we have to compromise so that we get some time off and get our other important works done.

Chhota Bheem is one of the most-watched celebrated, and famous character should act responsibly and immediately discontinue its portrayal of Boondi Ladoos as a source of strength.

Choosing an Indian healthy, nutritious, enriched with protein replacement to ladoos should not be a difficult task for the content creators of ChotaBheem, I recommend to just ask any mother, she knows the best.

(The author is the CEO, Aasray Concept Foods. The views expressed are his own and personal)