8 hours ago
Battle against salt must begin with school meals
Salt in Indian diets holds a special place, not just in our kitchens, but also in our history, language and even politics. It was salt, after all, that Mahatma Gandhi chose as a symbol of resistance against British colonial rule. Even today, the phrase 'namak ka farz' (the duty of salt) speaks to a deep cultural association between salt and loyalty, sacrifice, and trust. But while salt is rich in symbolism and tradition, it's also quietly contributing to a serious health crisis in India today. Dietary habits formed early in life tend to persist, excessive salt consumption during childhood can shape taste preferences, making children more likely to prefer salty foods later in life. (HT Photo)
Excess salt consumption is a major contributor to high blood pressure, which significantly increases the risk of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs have contributed to more than 60% of all deaths in India over the past decade, with CVDs constituting a quarter of these diseases. Hypertension is a leading cause of the problem, given that approximately one in four Indian adults suffers from the condition.
This crisis is not just limited to adults. The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) (2016-18) found that 5% of Indian adolescents between 10 to 19 years old are hypertensive. This is a concerning statistic, as children with hypertension have about seven times higher odds of developing hypertension in adulthood. Moreover, dietary habits formed early in life tend to persist, excessive salt consumption during childhood can shape taste preferences, making children more likely to prefer salty foods later in life. Research indicates the typical daily salt intake for Indians ranges from 8-11 grams of salt. This is double WHO's recommended daily salt intake of less than 5 grams. The recommended intake for children is below 4 grams of salt.
Against this backdrop, a compelling strategy to address this silent crisis is to improve what children eat at school. PM Poshan (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman), India's critical school meal programme, provides cooked meals daily to 118 million students across 1.12 million schools. Each PM Poshan meal accounts for 25-30% of a child's daily nutritional requirements, making it important to ensure that they are wholesome and nutritious. Initiatives like school nutrition gardens, or Poshan Vatikas, under the scheme are a positive step, encouraging the use of fresh ingredients and healthier food habits.
School meals can be made healthier by reducing salt, a key proposed policy intervention outlined in the National Multisectoral Action Plan to combat NCDs (2017–22). This will help achieve India's national goal to cut population-level salt intake by 30% by 2025. While PM Poshan guidelines specify nutritional norms for calories, proteins and various food groups, they offer a broad recommendation to add salt 'as per taste'. Introducing standards to require a gradual reduction of salt in PM Poshan will help reduce salt intake among school children and also modify their taste towards low salt food.
Globally, countries are adopting comprehensive strategies to make public food healthier. These include limiting the use of ultra-processed foods, and prioritising fresh, nutrient-rich ingredients in public food programmes. These experiences exhibit success stories in ensuring healthy public food procurement. Singapore mandates lower-sodium menus across government institutions. In Brazil, school feeding programmes emphasise fresh, minimally processed foods while reducing ultra-processed ingredients. Chile has introduced front-of-pack warning labels and prohibits high-sodium foods in school kiosks. India, too, has a well-designed school meals policy that reflects many of these principles, such as the use of fortified staples, provision of mid-day meals, and adherence to nutritional guidelines. The impact of these provisions could be further strengthened through consistent implementation and enforcement of FSSAI's regulation on promoting healthy food environments in schools by restricting the availability and marketing of foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, added sugars, and sodium (HFSS).
As a first step, we must set clear, age-specific salt standards at the population level, beginning with PM Poshan. There should be no ambiguity about how much iodised salt is appropriate for children of different age groups. Equally important is involving parents and caregivers in this effort since children's taste preferences are shaped not only in schools and anganwadis, but also at home.
This is a moment for the ministries of education and health to come together to develop and implement guidelines on salt consumption for children. Ultimately, this isn't just about cutting down on salt. It's about reimagining public health, starting with what's served on a child's plate.
Urvashi Prasad was director, Niti Aayog. The views expressed are personal.
