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Health Ministry clarifies no warning labels for samosa and jalebi
'It advises about the display of boards in various workplaces such as lobbies, canteens, cafeterias, and meeting rooms to raise awareness on the harmful consumption of hidden fats and excess sugar in various food items,' the ministry said in its clarification.
Describing the directive as a general advisory, the ministry stated that the move was intended as a behavioural nudge to increase awareness about hidden fats and excess sugar in all food products, not targeted at any specific food items.
'The health ministry advisory does not direct warning labels on food products sold by vendors, and has not been selective towards Indian snacks,' the ministry clarified. It added that the government does not intend to target India's rich street food culture.
This advisory, the letter states, was shared to promote healthy lifestyles and combat obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
According to the Lancet GBD 2021 obesity forecasting study, the number of overweight and obese adults in India is projected to rise from 1.8 crore in 2021 to 44.9 crore by 2050, making it the country with the second-highest global burden.
The oil and sugar board initiative is part of the ministry's flagship efforts under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).
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