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The Hindu
5 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
After 'sugar boards', CBSE asks schools to set up 'oil boards' to promote healthy eating habits
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. The CBSE recommends installing oil board displays in common areas such as cafeterias, lobbies, meeting rooms, and other public spaces to raise awareness about harmful consumption. It also suggests printing health messages on all official stationery—such as letterheads, envelopes, notepads, folders, and publications—to provide daily reminders about fighting obesity. Additionally, it encourages promoting healthy meals. 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 customise 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.
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Health
- 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.)
Mint
7 days ago
- Health
- Mint
‘Oil Board': CBSE flags obesity rate in India; urges schools to encourage students to use stairs, limit ‘high-fat snack'
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a follow-up circular dated 15 July 2025, reinforcing its earlier guidance on promoting healthy lifestyles among students through the establishment of 'oil Boards' in schools. CBSE stated that this initiative sought to raise awareness of the dangers of excessive oil consumption and to encourage healthier dietary and physical activity habits among students and staff. In continuation of Circular No. Acad-26/2025 dated 14 May 2025 on sugar boards, the latest directive from CBSE (Circular No. Acad-45/2025) highlighted the alarming rise of obesity in India. Citing data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5, 2019-21), CBSE board noted that over one in five adults in urban areas are overweight or obese. Further referencing the 2025 Lancet Global Burden of Disease (GBD) obesity forecasting study, CBSE stressed that the number of overweight and obese adults in India is projected to more than double — from 18 crore in 2021 to 44.9 crore by 2050. Childhood obesity, CBSE added, is chiefly influenced by poor dietary habits and insufficient physical activity. Addressing school principals, the CBSE circular mandated several measures to sensitize both students and staff: Installation of Oil Boards: Schools must display digital or static posters in common areas such as cafeterias, lobbies, and meeting rooms to educate about the harmful effects of excessive oil consumption. Health Messaging on Official Stationery: Printing messages promoting healthy habits on letterheads, envelopes, notepads, folders and publications aims to provide ongoing reminders combating obesity. Promotion of Healthy Meals and Physical Activity: Schools are urged to provide nutritious food options — emphasising fruits, vegetables and low-fat selections — while limiting sugary drinks and high-fat snacks. Physical activity initiatives include encouraging stairs usage, short exercise breaks during school hours, and facilitating walking routes around campus. The CBSE circular also encouraged experiential learning by involving students in the design and preparation of these Oil Boards to foster engagement with health-conscious practices. Relevant information, education and communication (IEC) materials — including posters and videos — are made available through the official YouTube channel of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the CBSE circular stated. CBSE underscored that this initiative aligns with the broader ethos of Atmanirbharta (self-reliance), stating: 'We cannot rely on imported niche technologies that are crucial for our offensive and defensive missions' — drawing a parallel to the importance of indigenous solutions in education and health promotion. School authorities have been called upon to play a vital role in stemming the obesity epidemic by embedding healthier habits from the grassroots level in educational environments. The circular concluded with an appeal from CBSE to ensure 'a safer, healthier generation, equipped to face future challenges with better wellbeing,' reinforcing the critical role of schools in shaping lifelong habits of wellness.
The Print
14-07-2025
- Health
- The Print
Ministries, depts asked to display oil, sugar content in snacks like samosa, pizza
While the Oil Board mentioned snacks such as French fries, burgers, pizza, samosa, pakodas and vadapav, the Sugar Board included items such as soft drinks, gulab jamun and chocolate pastries. It has also called for printing health messages on all official stationery such as letterheads, envelopes, notepads, folders and publications to reinforce daily reminders on fighting obesity. New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The Union health ministry has urged all ministries and departments to instal displays of boards mentioning the sugar and oil content in snacks such as samosa, kachori, pizza, burger, french fries, soft drinks, gulab jamun and vadapav to promote healthy lifestyles and combat obesity and non-communicable diseases. Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora, who chairs the Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation, on Monday pitched for treating and regulating food items such as pizzas, burgers and doughnuts at par with samosa, jalebis and vadapav for health risks. 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. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-21), more than one in five adults in the urban areas are overweight or obese. The prevalence of childhood obesity is impacted by poor dietary habits and reduced physical activity. According to the Lancet Global Burden of Disease (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 a country with the second-highest global burden, she said. Obesity significantly raises the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and certain cancers. It also affects mental health, mobility and quality of life, and imposes a heavy economic burden through increased healthcare costs and productivity losses. Early prevention and health promotion are critical to reversing these trends. In the letter, Srivastava referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to combat obesity through lifestyle changes. 'At the opening ceremony of the 38th National Games in Dehradun on 28 January 2025, the prime minister invoked the Fit India Campaign and urged citizens to adopt active, healthy lifestyles as part of the broader vision of Swastha Bharat. In his Mann Ki Raat, he called for a 10 per cent reduction in oil consumption,' the letter said. In response to this national appeal and as part of the ministry's flagship initiatives under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), it is imperative to promote sustainable behavioural changes at our workplaces. These include reducing excessive consumption of oil and sugar, both of which are key contributors to increasing rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other lifestyle-related disorders, Srivastava stated. 'We are proposing display of Sugar and Oil Boards initiative to promote healthier dietary habits in various settings. These boards serve as visual behavioural nudges in schools, offices, public institutions etc displaying key information about hidden fats and sugars in everyday foods,' the letter stated. She requested all ministries to issue directions to all departments/ offices/ autonomous bodies and other public institutions/organisations to instal Oil and Sugar Board displays (digital static posters etc) in common areas (cafeterias, lobbies, meeting rooms and other public spaces) to raise awareness on harmful consumption. She asked them to print health messages on all official stationery (letterheads, envelopes, notepads, folders, etc) and publications to reinforce daily reminders on fighting obesity. 'Promote healthy meals and physical activity in offices through nutritious, healthier food options (more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat options, and by limiting availability of sugary drinks and high-fat snacks) and active workplace initiatives such encouraging use of stairs, organising short exercise breaks, and facilitating walking routes),' she said. 'These visual cues and practical tips are part of a larger national movement to reduce the burden of NCDs, and your ministry's leadership in this regard can serve as an inspiration for wider behavioural transformation across government systems… Together, let us lead the way in turning the honourable prime minister's vision of a Healthy India into a mass movement, starting right from our workplaces,' she said. The letter also had a few prototypes of the boards as enclosures which it said can be customised according to requirement. PTI PLB KSS KSS This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
India Today
08-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
How much salt is too much? What science says
Salt is a staple in kitchens across the world. It enhances flavour, preserves food, and is essential to human life. But too much of it can silently wreak havoc on our health. For decades, health experts have warned us: Cut down on salt! But how much is too much? And is there such a thing as too little? We sift through the data to answer the deceptively simple question: How much salt is just right?advertisementTHE MEDICAL MATHS: WHAT DO GUIDELINES SAY?The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that adults consume less than 5 grams of salt per day - that's about 2 grams of sodium (salt is about 40% sodium and 60% chloride). The American Heart Association (AHA) goes further, recommending no more than 1,500 mg of sodium daily, especially for people with high blood here's the problem: most people around the world consume way average salt intake: 9–12 grams per day (almost double the WHO limit)India's average: ~10.9 grams per day, according to the India Hypertension Management InitiativeChina's average: 11–12 grams per dayUSA: ~3,400 mg sodium per day (~8.5 grams of salt)SO, WHAT'S THE RISK? High salt intake has been linked to:High blood pressure (hypertension)Heart disease and strokeKidney diseaseStomach cancerOsteoporosis (excessive sodium increases calcium excretion)A 2021 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that reducing sodium by even 1 gram per day could prevent 9 million cardiovascular deaths worldwide by WAIT, CAN TOO LITTLE SALT BE HARMFUL?Some researchers argue that extremely low sodium intake can also have adverse effects like insulin resistance, elevated cholesterol, and even higher mortality in people with existing heart conditions. A 2016 review published in The Lancet found that both very high and very low sodium intake were linked to cardiovascular risk, forming a U-shaped curve. The sweet spot? Around 3-5 grams of salt per day (1.2-2 grams of sodium).This sparked a global debate: Are we being told to eat too little salt? Some scientists suggest moderation over restriction, especially for healthy individuals without IS SALT HIDING IN YOUR DIET?In India, 75% of salt intake comes from home-cooked meals, unlike in the West where it's mainly from processed salt sources include:Pickles, papads, chutneysReady-to-eat snacks and packaged foodsBreads and biscuitsRestaurant mealsSalted butter and cheeseEven healthy-seeming foods like idi-sambar or dal-rice can cross the limit if salt is added DUE TO HIGH SALT INTAKE: WHAT THE GLOBAL DATA SHOWS Excessive salt consumption is a leading dietary risk for premature death and disability worldwide. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study - the most comprehensive international health data project - has consistently highlighted high sodium intake as a top cause of cardiovascular-related DATA ON DEATHS DUE TO HIGH SALT INTAKE:According to the GBD 2019 study published in The Lancet,over 1.89 million deaths globally in 2019 were attributed to excess sodium deaths were primarily from:StrokeIschaemic heart diseaseHypertensive heart diseaseHigh sodium intake ranked as the seventh leading dietary risk factor contributing to deaths worldwide in same GBD study reported that over 45 million years of healthy life (DALYs: Disability-Adjusted Life Years) were lost due to excess sodium Estimate:The India State-Level Disease Burden Study (ICMR, PHFI, IHME 2017) estimated that:advertisementMore than 150,000 deaths annually in India could be attributed to high sodium intake, due to its role in hypertension and heart disease.A 2021 report by Resolve to Save Lives noted that lowering average salt intake in India by 30% could prevent 400,000 deaths by TO KNOW YOU'RE GETTING THE RIGHT AMOUNT?Here's a simple rule: Stick to less than 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of salt a dayMeasure how much salt you add when cookingUse lemon juice, herbs, and spices to boost flavourCut back on processed and restaurant foodChoose low-sodium packaged foods when availableBe cautious with condiments (ketchup, soy sauce, chutneys)SHOULD YOU USE HIMALAYAN PINK SALT OR SEA SALT? Despite health halos, pink salt, sea salt, rock salt, or black salt contain almost the same sodium content as regular table salt. Some may contain trace minerals, but not in amounts significant enough to offset overuse. BALANCE IS THE BEST POLICYSalt is essential - but it's all about the right amount. Most people today consume too much, often without knowing it. Moderation, especially for people with or at risk of high blood pressure, is crucial. For healthy individuals, aiming for under 5 grams of salt a day is a safe and evidence-backed target. But severe restriction might not be necessary unless advised by a with most things in health, don't ban it, balance it.- Ends
