Lok Sabha Question No. 4126 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-19
Subject: Junk/Fast Foods
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Dhanush M Kumar, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan, C.N. Annadurai

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTI ON NO. 4126 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19 TH MARCH, 2021

## JUNK/FAST FOODS

## 4126. SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMA R:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKA R:

SHRI DEVUSINH JESINGHBHAI CHAUHAN:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

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

- (a) whether consumption of junk/fast foods like chips, burger and colas by children and youth are causing obesity and other serious health issues including fatty liver disease and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government will consider putting pictoral warning on junk foods to check the consumptionof junk/fast foods especially by children and youth and if so, details ther eof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether any study has been conducted to correlate the possibility of triggering sudden heart attacks with the consumption of junk food, if so, details and the outcome thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has conduct ed/proposes to conduct any awareness programmes/campaign in this regard and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether consumption of soft drinks and junk/ fast foods is responsible for increasing number of  diabetic patients  and  other  lifestyle  diseases,  if so,  the  details thereof  and  reaction  of  the Government thereto; and
- (f) other corrective steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) : Indian  Council  of  Medical  Research  (ICMR)  has  informed  that  foods  high  in  calori sugars, salts and fats devoid of nutrients like vitamins and minerals are called unheal Regular  consumption  of  unhealthy  foods  is  linked  with  elevat ed  blood  pressure,  altered  lipid profile, diabetes, obesity, heart attacks, stroke including fatty liver disease. Even amo and adolescents, unhealthy food / dietary habits increase the risk of these diseases.

(b) :  T o  ensure  safe  and  wholesome  f ood  for  school  children,  Food  Safety  and  Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has framed and notified   the Food Safety and Standards (Safe and balanced diets for children in school) Regulations, 2020.

These  regulations  place  a  restriction  on  sale  of foods  High  in  Fat,  Salt  and  Sugar (HFSS)  to  school  children  in  school  canteens/mess  premises/hostel  kitchens  or  withi meters of the school campus.  There is also a restriction on advertisement of such pr Regulations aim to encourage schools to adopt a comprehensive program for promoting Safe food and healthy diets amongst school children and to convert school campus into Eat R School  focusing  safe  and  healthy  food,  local  and  seasonal  food  and  no  food  waste  as specified benchmarks.

(c) : ICMR has informed that it has not conducted any specific studies to co - relate the possibility of triggering sudden heart attacks with the consumption of unhealthy food.

(d) : FSSAI  has  informed  that  a  nation -wide  media  campaign  titled  'Aj  Se  Thoda  Kam' , featuring   actor Shri Raj Kumar Rao, to encourage consumers to make dietary modification gradually reducing the consumption of fat, sugar and salt has been launched.  A series videos  (with  subtitles  in  12  languages)  have  been  created  for  th e  same.    The  campaign  is supported with flyers, banners, audio clips and an Eat Right India website with useful i gradual reduction in consumption of fat, salt and sugar.

Manufacturers  have  also  been  encouraged  and  supported  to  reformulate  their  f ood products to healthier options.

Further, various Government agencies are taking up many initiatives towards communi education. Some of the recent initiatives are as follows:

- ICMR - National  Institute  of  Nutrition  (NIN),  Hyderabad  has  brought  out  sever publications on Diet and Diabetes and Diet and Heart Diseases.
- ICMR - NIN conducts community awareness programmes and exhibitions in which these topics are dealt with.
- ICMR - NIN POSHAN Abhiyaan e - modules have dedicated sessions on healthy diets and NCDs.

(e) : As mentioned in (a) above.

(f) : Some of the steps taken by FSSAI to promote healthy diet and, thereby, help reduce related diseases include notification of following regulations:

- i. Standards for fortification of 5 key staples viz. Wheat flour and R ice (with Iron, Vitamin B12 and Folic acid), Oil & Milk (with Vitamins A and D) and Double fortified S (with  Iodine  and  Iron)  as  well  as  fortification  of  processed  foods  to  address  i micronutrient deficiency and associated diseases.
- ii. Limiting Tran s fatty acids to not more than 3% by weight in Oils and Fats from st January, 2021 and to not more than 2% by weight by 1 st January, 2022. Also, the limit of 2%, by mass of total oil/fats present in all the food products in which edible oil areused as ingredient, has been notified to be effective from 1 st January 2022.
- iii. Limiting Total Polar compound to be a maximum of 25% in used cooking oil and 15% in fresh and unused cooking oil.
- iv. Health supplements, nutraceuticals, prebiotics and probiotic prod ucts fall in the category of functional foods and for which standards have been framed. Functional foods pro benefits beyond basic nutrition and play a role in reducing or minimizing risk of diseases and health conditions.
- v. Revised  Labelling and  Display  Regulations  with  new  provisions  on  food  allergens, nutritional  information  (menu  labelling)  for  specified  restaurants  and  food  s establishments etc to enable consumers to make an informed choice.