Lok Sabha Question No. 4742 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-23
Subject: Sale of Junk Food in Schools
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: HARISH CHANDRA MEENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4742 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23 rd MARCH, 2018

## SALE OF JUNK FOOD IN SCHOOLS

## 4742. SHRI HARISH MEENA:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to ban the sale of junk food in schools and if so, the proposed time frame for the same and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether it is proposed to give Nutrition Educ ation in schools and if so, the time frame for the same and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to make it mandatory to provide nutritive content of food at restaurants and food outlets and if so, the time frame for the same and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to regulate advertising of unhealthy foods targeted at children; and
- (e)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the measures  taken  by  the  Government  to check  unfair nutritional claims for infa ntdirected products?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a): Junk Food is not defined under the Food   Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Ru and Regulations made thereunder. However, Food Safety and Standards Authority of  Ind (FSSAI)  has  issued  draft  guidelines  titled  'Guidelines  for  making  available  Wholesome , Nutritious, Safe and Hygienic Food to School Children in India on 12.10.2015 prepared the  Expert  Group/Central  Advisory  Committee  as  per  the  directions  of  the  Hon'ble  High Court  of  Delhi  in  the  matter  of  WP(C)  No.  8568  of  2010  titled  'Uday  Foundation for Congenital defects and Rare Blood Vs UOI & Others' wherein  availability of  most common High in Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) foods in schools have been restricted/limited .

To address the issue of High Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) in food and associate d health risks, FSSAI constituted an Expert Group that included eminent experts from the fiel medicine, nutrition, and dietetics representing well known medical research and acad institutions.  The  report  submitted  by  the  Expert  Group  has  been  uplo aded  on  FSSAI's website i.e. www.fssai.gov.in and shared with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  has  also  constituted  an  Expert  Committee  on th March,  2017  to  provide  a comprehensive  set  of  recommendations  relating  to  all  nodal agencies for implementation of evidence based strategy for reducing consumption of high sugar & salt foods.

(b): FSSAI has undertaken Safe & Nutritious Food at School initiative to raise awar eness amongst  children  on  the  importance  of  safe,    nutritious  and  healthy    food.  Under initiative, school teachers as Health and Wellness Coordinators are being trained to healthy and nutritious diets among children.  FSSAI has  also brought o ut  a booklet 'Yellow Book' that provides age appropriate contents which can be adopted across schools through State education machineries as part of their curricular and co - curricular activities.   It, inter -alia  contains  topics  such  as  good  food  safety  p ractices,  personal  hygiene  and  cleanliness habits,  eating  a  balanced  diet,  packing  a  wholesome  lunchbox,  preventing  nutrit deficiencies and making healthy choices.  FSSAI has also created safe and nutritious mascots - Master Sehat and Miss Sehat - su perheroes who spread awareness among children.

(c): Yes. The FSSAI has already approved separate draft notification on FSSAI (Labell Regulations in which following provision is made:

'Food Business Operators (FBOs) including restaurants, confectioner s, food service vendors,  halwais,  etc.  having  FSSAI  State/Central  License  have  to  keep  a  record nutritional information for food items served by them which should be made availabl demand to the consumer'

(d): The Expert Group on High Fat, Sugar and Salt Foods constituted by FSSAI had, inter -alia, made a recommendation regarding ban on advertising of foods with High Fat, Sugar Salt (HFSS) on children's channels or during children shows. FSSAI is of the view that Food Businesses could be asked to voluntarily desist from advertising HFSS foods on children's channels. Bodies like Food and Beverage Alliance of India (FBAI) have already decided voluntarily restrict food and beverage advertisements to children. Nine major Food Bus Operators (FBOs) have joined this campaign and have decided not to advertise products wi high fat, salt or sugar on children's channels.

(e): FSSAI has approved separate draft    regulations on Advertisements and Claims address the issue of claims made w.r.t pre - packaged foods. It prescribes the general principles for all claims and specific requirements for nutritional claims.