Lok Sabha Question No. 1998 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-29
Subject: Impact of Junk Food on Health
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Ranjeeta Koli, Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam, Arvind Kumar Sharma

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1998 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH NOVEMBER, 2019

## IMPACT OF JUNK FOOD ON HEALTH

## 1998. SHRIMATI RANJEETA KOLI: SHRIMATI POONAMBEN MAADAM: SHRI ARVIND KUMAR SHARMA:

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

- (a) whether diseases like diabetes, men al ailments and liver ailments are on the rise in the country and causing adverse effects on the health of the people owing to consumption of junk food and fast food and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (b) whether the Government has undertaken any study in this regard and if so, the findings thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to launch an awareness programme in this regard;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e)  whether  the  Government  has  any proposal  to  make  it  mandatory  for  all  fast food eateries/restaurants  serving  food containing  trans - fat  to  show  up a  warningsign  and awareness  content  inside  their premise  on  the  lines  of  warning  on  tobacco containing products and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

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

(a) to (b): Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has informed that as per ICMR's India State -Level Disease Burden Initiative study report 2017, there has been an increas the number of people suffering from Non - Communi cable Disease (NCD) which has been associated  with  lifestyle.  As  per  the  change  in  Disability  Adjusted  Life  Year  (DA number and rate for the leading individual causes in India from 1990 to 2016, Ischemic disease/Cardio  Vascular  Disease  (CVDs)  was the  leading  cause  of  death  in  2016.  The DALYs has increased by about 34% for CVDs and 80% for diabetes from 1990 to 2016. The risk factors for diabetes are high body mass index (BMI), low physical activity and i in unhealthy diet (dietary risk) whi ch has also increased by about 150.5%, 37.6% and 12.1% respectively from 1990 to 2016.

According  to  ICMR's  data  from  the  ICMR -India Diabetes (ICMR -INDIAB) study, the prevalence of diabetes, obesity (generalized and abdominal) and hypertension in States/UT studied till date found highest prevalence of diabetes (13.6%) in Chandigar hypertension in Manipur (30.8%).

ICMR and National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) conducted two surveys to assess prevalence  of  Diabetes  among  rural  and  urban  adu lt  population.  The  survey  revealed  a prevalence  of  8.2%  and  28.1%  among  men  in  Rural  and  Urban  areas  respectively.  The corresponding prevalence for Women is 6.8% and 23.3% respectively.

Further,  Development  of  obesity  is  multi - factorial  and  eating  of  junk food  and processed food is one of them. Childhood obesity is a risk factor of developing heart and diabetes in later life. In a recent systemic review of studies on childhood obes India  published  in Indian  J  Med  Res 143,  February,  2016,  i ndicated  that  overweight  and obesity  rates  in  children  and  adolescents  are  increasing  not  just  among  the  higher -economic  groups  but  also  in  the  lower  income  groups  where  underweight  still  remain major  concern.  The  study  showed  that  the  pooled  data after  2010  estimated  a  combined prevalence of 19.3% of childhood overweight and obesity which was a significant incr from the earlier prevalence of 16.3% reported in 2001 - 2005.

As per the NMHS 2015 - 16 reported that the overall prevalence for any mental illne was 13.7% lifetime. The World Mental Health Survey in India, 2005, reported the preval of common mental disorders as 5.52%. (Reference: R. Srinivasa Murthy. National Me ntal Health Survey of India 2015 - 16. Indian J. Psychiatry. 2017 January to March; 59(1):21 - 26).

According to a recent multi - centric (11 Hospital from different parts of India) stud on chronic liver disease in India revealed that 1.28% (266621 out of 207 01383) of patients attending for medical services had liver disease. (Reference: Mukherjee etal. Etiolo mode  of  presentation  of  chronic  liver  diseases  in  India:  A  multi  centric  studyPlo October 26, 2017)

(c )& (d): Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority  of  India  (FSSAI)  has  been  actively engaged in creating awareness towards healthy eating and reducing consumption of High Salt and Sugar Foods under 'Eat Right India' movement which is based on three pillars of eat ing  safe,  eating  healthy  and  eating  sustainably.  Several  initiatives  and  ou programmes form part of this movement.

ICMR - NIN has recommended a new syllabus to be included in Text books of School Children  in  NCERT  Board  on  Healthy  Food  habits  and  Nut rition  as  a  part  of  Nutrition Education and Communication strategy for Healthy Foods. ICMR - NIN is making Nutrition Education Videos for Adolescent girls on Healthy Food habits as a part of Poshan Abhiya

Ministry of Women and Child Development had consti tuted a Working Group under Chairmanship  of  ICMR -NIN  for  addressing  consumption  of  foods  High  in  Fat,  Salt  and Sugar (HFSS) and promotion of healthy snacks in schools of India.

The  Government  has  already  launched  the  following  National  Programmes  for  the prevention and control of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) including its risk factors:

- a. The National NCD Action Plan which has identified the 10 national NCD targets t be achieved by Year 2025.
- b. National  Program  for  Prevention  and  Control  of  Cancer,  Diabet es,  Cardiovascular disease and Stroke (NPCDCS) and most recently COPD has been included under this program.
- c. National School Health Program.

The School health programme specifically focused on school age children. Its m focus is to address the health needs of children, both physical and mental, and in ad provides for nutrition interventions, yoga facilities and counselling.

- (e): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has finalised the Food Safe y and  Standards  (Advertising  and  Claims)  Regulations,  2018  which pertains  to  claims  and advertisements by food business operators in respect of their food products. These regu are aimed at establishing fairness in claims and advertisements of food products and food business accountable for such claims/advert isements so as to protect consumer interest. Food establishments which use trans - fat free fats/oil and do not have industrial trans - fat more than 0.2g/100g of food in compliance to these regulations can display 'Trans fat free' logo in their outlets and on their food products. The use of the said logo is voluntary.