Samosa, Jalebi And Other Indian Snacks To Carry Health Warnings: "A Big Step To Tackle India's Obesity Crisis," Says Expert

NDTV

17 hours ago

After cigarettes, delicious Indian snacks like samosa, vadapav, kachori and jalebi will soon carry health warnings. As an initiative to promote healthy eating and lifestyle to combat obesity and non-communicable diseases, the Union Health Ministry has urged all ministries, departments and autonomous bodies to display warnings on Indian snacks. The ministry has urged to display oil and sugar content of these food items. It has also called for printing health messages on all official stationeries such as letterheads, envelopes, notepads, folders, etc and publications to reinforce daily reminders on fighting obesity.
Are samosas, jalebis and vadapavs harmful?
Obesity is a serious yet preventable health condition. This lifestyle disorder can be reversed and prevented with proactive measures that majorly focus on diet and lifestyle interventions.
"Foods like jalebis have a very high glycemic index and can spike up your blood sugars without providing any nutritional value. Not just obesity, heavy consumption of these foods can increase the risk of serious health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and much more," Dr. Sameer Gupta, Senior Cardiologist, Group Cardiac Cath Lab Director at Metro Hospitals.
"Additionally, foods like samosas and vadapavs are high in trans fat, which can cause inflammation and lead to arterial blockage by contributing to plaque buildup in arteries," Dr. Gupta added.
Will these warnings actually help?
"The tsunami of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure in this country mainly because of poor eating habits needs to be controlled with such health policies."
"This initiative will empower the common people about the nutritional value of food and help them make conscious food choices," Dr. Gupta highlighted.
How will this be put into effect?
The information posters will mention fat and sugar content in popular foods. This clear information about sugar and trans fat content will function like health warning labels on cigarettes.
"Oil and Sugar Board" in schools, offices, public institutions, autonomous bodies and other organisations displaying key information about hidden fats and sugars in everyday foods can help raise awareness on harmful consumption.
Health messages that outline long-term health risks from frequent consumption of these foods will also be implemented.
This initiative has also urged organisations and institutions to promote the availability of healthier food options and limit accessibility of sugary drinks and high-fat snacks. It also highlights the role of physical activity.
India's obesity burden
A sharp rise in obesity rates in India over the past few years is now a significant public health concern. Obesity has serious health implications, fueling non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, mobility, quality of life and certain cancers.
According to the National Family Health Survey NFHS-5 (2019-21), more than one in five adults in urban areas are overweight or obese. While 24% of Indian women and 23% of Indian men are overweight or obese, a significant increase in the percentage of children under 5 years who are overweight has also been observed from 2.1% to 3.4 %.
A Lancet study published in 2025 also revealed that about 450 million adults in India are expected to be overweight or obese in 2050.
Addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach, including better public health policies, promoting physical activity, improving access to healthy foods, and increasing awareness about nutritional intake and healthy lifestyles.
In the 119th Episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also urged the country to draw focus on the obesity epidemic and mentioned that obesity cases have doubled in the last few years and there is an urgent need to focus on the prevalence of obesity in India. He urged people to reduce their cooking oil consumption by 10 per cent.
Advocating the same, Dr. Sameer Gupta who is also the Co-Chair of the Healthcare community at PHD Chamber of Commerce adds, "India is the diabetes capital of the world. Furthermore, an alarming increase in obesity and hypertensive individuals triggers the disease burden of the country. These food labels will empower people to make the right food choices. It is a very good and much-needed step towards a fitter India."
"You cannot be a wealthy nation if you are not a healthy nation," he concluded.