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The story up to now: So as to verify the sugar consumption of school-going kids, the Central Board of Secondary Training (CBSE) has instructed over 24,000 affiliated colleges throughout India to determine ‘sugar boards’, the place info is displayed for educating college students in regards to the dangers of extreme sugar consumption.
What are ‘sugar boards’?
Two years in the past, meals influencer Revant Himatsingka appealed to colleges by a video to start out a ‘sugar board’ marketing campaign, which entails a visible illustration of the amount of sugar contained in a bottle of aerated drink or packaged fruit juice. “Youngsters have to study in enjoyable and attention-grabbing methods the perils of consuming extra sugar. So, in Do It Your self (DIY) workshops with college kids, we ask the scholars to stay, say for example bottles of aerated drinks, or packaged juices, [on a paper/white board] and adjoining to that stick the amount of sugar in a packet and variety of teaspoons of sugar that go into the product,” Mr. Himatsingka advised The Hindu. For instance, a 300 ml bottle of a well-liked aerated drink accommodates eight teaspoons of sugar, with one teaspoon of sugar being almost 4 grams. Equally, a well-liked model of a 125 ml packaged mango drink accommodates 5 teaspoons of sugar.
‘Sugar boards’ present important info, together with beneficial sugar consumption, the sugar content material in generally consumed meals (equivalent to junk meals and chilly drinks), well being dangers related to excessive sugar consumption and more healthy dietary alternate options.
The CBSE has said that colleges might submit a quick report and photographs of the exercise on ‘sugar boards’ until July 15. Mr. Himatsingka mentioned that whereas many faculties have already included ‘sugar boards’ of their actions, CBSE’s directive will create consciousness in almost two crore college students and their households.
Why are ‘sugar boards’ obligatory?
The Nationwide Fee for Safety of Baby Rights (NCPCR) has pushed for the introduction of a ‘sugar board’ in all colleges, not solely in these that are CBSE affiliated, but additionally in colleges that are affiliated to numerous State boards. In a letter written to CBSE by NCPCR in March earlier this 12 months, the kid rights physique emphasised, “Over the previous decade, there was a major enhance in Sort 2 Diabetes amongst kids, a situation primarily seen in adults. This alarming development is attributable to excessive sugar consumption… simple availability of sugary snacks, drinks and processed meals inside college environments,” the letter states.
Whereas population-based knowledge on Sort-2 diabetes amongst kids and adolescents are unavailable from India, it’s estimated that the incidence of Sort 2 Diabetes within the group is 397 per lakh inhabitants, subsequent solely to China which has 734 estimated instances per lakh. Talking with The Hindu, Dr. Divya Gupta, gynaecologist and a member of NCPCR, mentioned, “Research point out that sugar constitutes 13% of each day calorie consumption for youngsters aged 4 to 10 years and 15% of these aged 11 to 18 years —considerably exceeding the beneficial restrict of 5%.”
What’s India’s regulatory stand?
Official sources mentioned that the Meals Requirements and Security Authority of India (FSSAI) had convened a scientific panel of specialists in April and Might earlier this 12 months, to determine on a Excessive Fats, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) definition pertaining solely to high school meals. Nevertheless, the FSSAI has nonetheless not set HFSS requirements or finalised the ‘health-star score system’, for front-of-pack labelling laws. “Within the assembly, we couldn’t arrive at definition for HFSS for what includes a faculty meal. Discussions are underway and it was determined that the HFSS definition for what includes college meals can’t be completely different from that of packaged meals. So a holistic HFSS definition must be formulated,” an official mentioned.
At the moment, FSSAI has regulation for manufacturers making meals claims. As an example, a low sugar declare can solely be made if a product accommodates no more than 5 gm sugar per 100 gm. “Whereas there are laws in place for making claims on packaged meals, FSSAI has not fastened cut-offs for Excessive Fats, Salt, Sugar consumption for the Indian inhabitants,” the official mentioned. India at present depends on World Well being Group (WHO) cut-offs for excellent HFSS consumption. As an example, WHO tips limit each day sugar consumption in adults and kids to 25 grams (six teaspoons). Nevertheless, specialists argue that the Indian cut-off must be decrease, and must be derived from indigenous knowledge, because the genetic make-up of Indians make them extra vulnerable to coronary heart assaults. “We’d like epidemiological knowledge, by a rustic broad examine which screens dietary consumption, together with variables like knowledge on Physique Mass Index, insulin resistance, lipid profile, biochemical parameters and so forth,” mentioned an skilled carefully working with FSSAI on the difficulty.
What subsequent?
Dr. Gupta mentioned that the kid rights physique is engaged on regularly introducing directives for meals excessive in salt and trans-fats as effectively.
“NCPCR can be gathering knowledge on kids affected by diabetes from authorities hospitals. We will likely be speaking to oldsters throughout guardian instructor conferences in regards to the significance of wholesome consuming. We now have had stakeholder conferences with paediatric medical doctors who will likely be roped in to go to colleges for workshops and so forth. Introducing ‘sugar boards’ is only the start,” Dr. Gupta mentioned.
Printed – Might 27, 2025 08:30 am IST
