03-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
India's public health leaders call for warning labels on food products high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat
NEW DELHI: A coalition of India's 29 leading public health and consumer organisations on Tuesday urged the centre to mandate front-of-pack warning labels on pre-packaged food and beverage products high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat (HFSS).
The leading public health leaders gave the call for warning labels, responding to the mounting evidence of health risks posed by HFSS and ultra-processed food (UPF) products.
Prof. K. Srinath Reddy, Honorary Distinguished Professor and Goodwill Ambassador of Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) for Public Health Partnerships, who has been a longstanding voice in India's public health landscape, said: 'India cannot afford to wait while non-communicable diseases (NCDs) escalate and children become marketing targets.'
'Warning labels are simple, effective, and evidence-based,' he added.
The policy statement initiated by Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi) is endorsed by 28 organisations, including PHFI, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Indian Public Health Association (IPHA), Consumer VOICE, and Diabetes India. Patient groups like Kidney Warriors have also supported the statement.
