Health Ministry fiat on display of oil, sugar content in snacks
In the letter written on June 21, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said that India is witnessing a sharp rise in obesity among both adults and children. As per NFHS-5 (2019-21) more than one in five adults in urban areas are overweight or obese. Prevalence of childhood obesity is impacted by poor dietary habits and reduced physical activity. As per the Lancet GBD 2021 obesity forecasting study published in 2025, the number of overweight and obese adults in India is projected to rise from 18 crore in 2021 to 44.9 crore by 2050, making it the country with the second-highest global burden, she said.
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Business Standard
4 hours ago
- Business Standard
CBSE asks schools to set up 'oil boards' to curb high-fat food intake
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked schools to set up "oil boards" to educate students and staff about harmful effects of consuming high-fat foods and oils and to serve as daily reminders promoting healthier eating habits, according to officials. The directive comes two months after the board asked schools to set up "sugar boards" to monitor and reduce the sugar intake of children. "Oil Boards" refer to posters or digital displays installed in shared spaces such as cafeterias, lobbies, and meeting rooms within school premises. These boards will aim to educate students and staff about the harmful effects of consuming high-fat foods and oils and to serve as daily reminders promoting healthier eating habits. "The data points out that there is a sharp rise in obesity among both adults and children. As per National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), 2019-21, over one in five adults in urban areas are overweight or obese," said Pragya M Singh, CBSE Director (Academics). Citing The Lancet Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 obesity forecasting study published in 2025, Singh said the number of overweight and obese adults in India is projected to rise from 18 crores in 2021 to 44.9 crores by 2050, making it the country with the second highest global burden. "Prevalence of childhood obesity is impacted mostly by poor dietary habits and reduced physical activity," Singh added. Installing oil board displays in common areas (cafeterias, lobbies, meeting rooms and other public spaces) to raise awareness on harmful consumption; printing health messages on all official stationery (letterheads, envelopes, notepads and folders) and publications to reinforce daily reminders on fighting obesity besides promoting healthy meals are among the recommendations made by the CBSE. The board also made recommendations such as physical activity in schools through availability of nutritious, healthier food options (more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat options, and by limiting availability of sugary drinks and high-fat snacks) and activity initiatives (encouraging use of stairs, organizing short exercise breaks, and facilitating walking routes). "A few prototypes of such boards are available and schools may like to customize these as per their requirements. School students can be encouraged to prepare such boards as a part of experiential learning. Relevant IEC material including posters and videos are available at official YouTube channel of FSSAI," Singh said in a letter to schools. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
The Great Khali joins Fit India Cycling Drive in Delhi
Former WWE World Heavyweight champion and the only Indian to hold that feat, The Great Khali, flagged off the drive. The 31st edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle was held across India on Sunday, with Union Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya leading the event in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Over 500 people joined him in the cycling drive, which promotes the message of 'Fitness Ki Dose, Aadha Ghanta Roz'. This week's edition was organised in partnership with various Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), and events were held at more than 7000 locations. Around 3000 Namo Fit India Cycling Clubs also participated. Attended by over 3000 old and young fitness enthusiasts, Khali, 52, stressed the importance of fitness in Bharat becoming a 'Vishwaguru'. In Gandhinagar, Dr Mandaviya met the Indian Youth Women's Handball Team, who are currently at a national camp. The event was flagged off by Arjuna Awardee and para powerlifting coach Rajinder Singh Rahelu. Local officials such as MLAs, the Mayor, and police officers also attended. Participants included employees from PSUs like ONGC, Indian Oil, GAIL, HPCL, LIC and others. Lalit Kumar Watts from the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) said that athletes from sports like hockey, shooting and basketball also took part. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi More than 3000 Cycling Clubs are part of the movement and actively participate every Sunday. These cycling drives are conducted by several Khelo India Centres (KICs), Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs), SAI Training Centres (STCs), Khelo India Accredited Academies (KIAAs), Regional Centres (RCs), as well as various National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) across the country. In Delhi, the event was held at Major Dhyanchand Stadium and included yoga, Zumba, and rope skipping. Former WWE champion The Great Khali flagged off the cycle rally and urged youth to stay fit and avoid drugs. He stressed that a healthy India can become a global leader. A special edition was also held in Gurgaon with support from Raahgiri Foundation, featuring yoga, games, and cycling. The event is led by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and supported by over 3000 cycling clubs and various sports institutions.
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Indian Express
Health warnings for samosa, jalebi? Here is what the govt's circular says, and why
The Union Health Secretary, Puniya Salila Srivastava, recently wrote to all ministries and government departments, urging them to display information on sugar and fat content in everyday foods in their offices and other public institutions. It also proposed doing so in schools and offices at large. However, some media reports claimed that 'warning labels' will be issued for snacks such as samosas and jalebis, raising questions of why Indian snacks were selectively chosen. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also said, 'Some media have reported that apparently samosas/jalebis cannot be consumed from now on, based on instructions from the Health Ministry. We are not interfering in every matter. We shall not implement this.' Here is what to know. First, what did the letter say? The letter said, 'We are proposing display of Sugar and Oil Boards as an initiative to promote healthier dietary habits in various settings. These boards serve as visual behavioural nudges…' These boards are to serve as visual reminders to prompt people to eat healthier, in line with the government's recent focus on combating the rising incidence of obesity in India. They will not be the same as warning labels, like the ones seen on tobacco packaging and mandated by law. The letter included some sample templates, having not just Indian snacks but also burgers, cakes, chocolates, and soft drinks. Designed by the apex food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), one such board said that a person should consume only around 27 to 30 grams of fat in a day. It depicted snacks such as samosa, kachori, and vadapav, along with their fat content. For reference, one samosa (100 g) yields 362 kilocalories (kcal) with 28 g of fat, while a burger has 590 kcal with 20.5 g of fat. Similarly, the sugar boards said that adults should not consume more than 25 g of sugar per day and children not more than 20 g. They showed the sugar content in soft drinks, chocolates, gulab jamun, and flavoured juices. One gulab jamun (62 g) releases 203 kcal and 32 g of sugar. Some of the boards contained simple graphics on the spoonfuls of sugar that one can consume — five teaspoons — along with the actual quantity in various food items. It also had the option of providing details about the foods available in the canteen on the day. The boards further contain nuggets of information such as 'jaggery, honey, date syrup, maple syrup, brown sugar, caramel, molasses are equally bad,' or 'sugar can be disguised as sucralose, mannitol, erythitol, xylitol, sorbitol'. Why is this being done? With obesity on the rise — along with associated increases in lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, and some cancers — the government has been undertaking several activities to improve food habits. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to adopt an active, healthy lifestyle and reduce oil consumption by 10%. In the past, studies have cited the consumption of calorie-dense foods high in sugar, salt, and fat as a major cause of rising obesity in India. The entry of multinational food and beverage companies is also a factor. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) recently directed its affiliated schools to establish sugar boards to monitor and reduce sugar intake in children. The board noted a significant increase in type 2 diabetes among children over the past decade. It added that sugar constitutes 13% of the daily calorie intake of children between the ages of 4 and 10 years and 15% for those between the ages of 11 and 18 years, much higher than the recommended 5%. The Union Health Secretary's letter, quoting The Lancet medical journal's Global Burden of Disease study, says that the number of obese and overweight adults in India is projected to increase from around 18 crores in 2021 to 44.9 crores by 2050. This will make India the country with the second-highest global burden. Another representative study from India estimated that 25.4 crore people, or 28.6% of the population, live with generalised obesity. Importantly, almost 39.5% of the population (around 35.1 crore people) live with abdominal obesity. The accumulation of fats in the abdominal region makes people more prone to the ill effects of obesity even at a lower Body Mass Index (BMI). This is because the abdominal fat is stored not under the skin but around organs such as the liver and intestines, impacting their functioning. Visceral fat is linked to a higher risk of diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart attack, and stroke. Fats are not inherently bad — in fact, some categories of fats are needed for the body to function properly. The Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) National Nutrition Guideline suggests that people should try to get as much of their daily requirement of fats from seeds, nuts, pulses, and beans as possible. It suggests that one should not consume more than 4 to 10 teaspoons of oil a day, and the number should be on the lower side for those having sedentary lifestyles. People should consume a mix of two or three different oils, ideally ones that are high in MUFAs (Monounsaturated Fatty Acids) and PUFAs (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids), such as sunflower, safflower or soybean oil. Using the same oil repeatedly, a common practice in shops selling fried snacks and fast food chains, can be harmful. This is because when heated at high temperatures for frying, the good fatty acids in the oil break down to form harmful compounds that increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Ultra-processed foods are high in fats, sugars, and salts, and the term generally includes industrially produced foods that contain ingredients not available in home kitchens. Their regular consumption is linked to high levels of obesity. Additionally, it reduces the share of healthy foods in people's diets, which have essential micronutrients, fibres, and vitamins. Ultra-processed foods can also be highly addictive and contribute to high calorific intake. Trans fats — or trans fatty acids — are produced during the hydrogenation of vegetable oils, which is done to improve the food's shelf life and flavour, and can be found in fast foods, potato chips, and cookies. At times, trans fats are considered worse than the bad cholesterol or LDL because they are known to both increase bad cholesterol and decrease the good cholesterol. Trans fats are known to increase the risk of diabetes, breast cancer, colon cancer, preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy), and nervous system disorders. The ICMR's National Institute of Nutrition guidelines state that everyone should restrict their sugar consumption to less than 5% of their total energy requirements, which equals about 25 g or five teaspoons, as the government has now suggested. Any loose sugar, honey, or other sweeteners are considered added sugars — in addition to what is already present in vegetables and fruits. 'If possible, added sugar may be completely eliminated from one's diet as it adds no nutritive value other than calories. Calories are healthy only when accompanied by vitamins, minerals, and fibres,' the guideline says. Natural sugars present in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products are not harmful, but these items should also be consumed in moderation as per one's energy requirements. The World Health Organisation has also recommended against the use of artificial sweeteners — which provide the sweet taste with fewer or no calories — for weight loss. While there could be some weight loss and reduction in the BMI in the short term, as artificial sweeteners bring down the calories consumed, in the long run, they have been linked to weight gain, the WHO said. The sweeteners have also been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in the long run. To be sure, diabetics can continue to use it in small quantities for their tea or coffee, according to experts.
