Latest news with #NationalFamilyHealthSurvey-5
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.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Health risks: CBSE directs schools to set up ‘oil boards'
NEW DELHI: In a move to curb rising obesity rates among children and adults, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has directed schools to install 'oil boards' — visual aids meant to spread awareness about the health risks of high-fat food and oil consumption. These boards, which will be displayed in common areas such as cafeterias, lobbies, and meeting rooms, will serve as daily reminders to encourage healthier dietary choices among students and staff. This initiative follows a similar directive issued two months ago, when schools were asked to install 'sugar boards' to help reduce students' sugar intake. 'The boards are part of a broader push to address the alarming increase in obesity rates,' said Pragya M Singh, director (Aacademics), CBSE. Citing data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–21), she noted that more than one in five urban adults in India are overweight or obese. The CBSE has also urged the schools to promote physical activity through measures like encouraging stair use, organising short exercise breaks during the day, and creating safe walking routes within school premises.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
6 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
16-07-2025
- 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.
Mint
15-07-2025
- Health
- Mint
Centre asks states to reduce sugar, salt in school meals to counter obesity
New Delhi: Concerned over rising cases of child obesity in India, the Centre has asked states and Union territories to reduce added sugar, salt, preservatives, colors, and other synthetic ingredients in meals provided in government schools, and Anganwadi centres, an official aware of the matter said. An Anganwadi is a rural child-care centre, started by the government in 1975 and tasked with providing basic healthcare services in villages and combatting child hunger and malnutrition. The directive from the Women and Child Development ministry is aimed at tackling India's growing obesity, particularly among young children. The directive from the Union women and child development ministry assumes significance given that 118 million children get free lunches under the Mid-day Meal Scheme, or PM POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman), while Anganwadi centres cater to around 106.9 million beneficiaries including young children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. The government's instructions to lower the use of salt, sugar, and synthetic colours in food come in the backdrop of the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) stating that one in five Indian urban adults is overweight or obese. High consumption of sugar and salt can potentially lead to obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney problems. According to the 11 July letter issued by the women and child development ministry to all the states and Union territories, the Poshan Tracker portal data for May highlights that 6% of children under five years in Anganwadi centres are already overweight or obese. The letter emphasized promoting healthy lifestyles and dietary practices, with a specific focus on the Take Home Rations (THR) and Hot Cooked Meals (HCM) provided in Anganwadis. Mint has seen a copy of the letter. Children aged 0-6 years in 2021 numbered an estimated 161 million, and as per the October 2024 data of Poshan Tracker portal, 88.2 million children were enrolled in Anganwadis, the ministry of women and child development told parliament in December last year. The directive is part of India's fight against obesity that includes the Centre' plan to roll out a nationwide screening programme for measuring obesity among school children, which will capture waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and their Body Mass Index (BMI), as reported by Mint earlier. 'The government is very serious about obesity. Schools have put the oil and sugar board to sensitise children on what kind of food or snack they are consuming. Similarly, it has decided that meals provided under the POSHAN scheme to the beneficiaries in the government schools and Anganwadi centres must limit oil and sugar. This is also applicable for child care homes,' said the official cited eralier, requesting anonymity. The new advisory recommends that states and UTs conduct targeted awareness programs for officers, field functionaries, Anganwadi workers, and the broader community. A key focus of these programs should be to reduce the consumption of edible oils in daily diets, aligning with the Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024, issued by the National Institute of Nutrition. The WCD ministry also suggested the state governments initiating awareness campaigns at all levels to reinforce the objectives of the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD). Queries sent to the women and child development ministry spokesperson remained unanswered till press time. Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former director general at Indian Council of Medical Research and ex-chief scientist at the World Health Organisation, said that the main driver of both obesity and under-nutrition is the lack of affordable access to a healthy and nutritious diet, along with lack of awareness about nutritional requirements at different ages. 'Nutrition literacy is very low, with the majority of the population having misconceptions about what is healthy and what is not. We have also lost a great deal of our agro biodiversity over the past few decades and ultra-processed food is replacing freshly cooked balanced meals. Looking ahead, with climate change being an additional risk to food systems, we need to look at the entire value chain - from greater production of healthier cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables to ensuring greater dietary diversity in our social safety net programs such asPublic Distribution System (PDS), school meals, PM Poshan Abhiyan,' she said. Dr. Swaminathan also pointed out that budget allocations to these schemes will need to increase to enable better dietary diversity. Dr. Mohsin Wali, a senior consultant in medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, points out a troubling trend: a significant portion of the population—between 20% and 30%—don't even perceive being overweight or obese as a problem. They simply see it as normal, he said. Covid-19 pandemic has worsened this issue, increasing obesity by at least 7%. 'The shift to work from home, coupled with increased consumption of foods high in oil and sugar, has played a major role. Controlling obesity is impossible without regular exercise, yoga, and workouts," he added. He also highlights the rise of "cloud kitchens," which are popular with children but often offer food high in trans fats. Adding to the concern, schools have cut back on outdoor activities, and children are increasingly glued to screens, leading to a decline in physical activity. 'Rise in stress levels among both children and adults also contribute to a dangerous cycle, as obesity is directly linked to serious health problems like diabetes, increased cardiovascular risk, sudden cardiac deaths, and fatty liver disease,' he said while referring to this cluster of conditions as "metabolic syndrome." Dr. Wali warns that if this trend isn't brought under control, the current generation of children will face a future of widespread obesity and its associated health crises as adults.
