Lok Sabha Question No. 511 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-04
Subject: Junk Food
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Dushyant Singh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.511 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4 th  FEBRUARY, 2022

## JUNK FOOD

## 511. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

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

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  formulated  any  lawor  regulations  which  directs  front-ofpack labelling/symbol based warning to warn consumers about harmfullevels of fat, salt and sugar hiding in ultra-processedjunk foods;

(b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  proposalunder  review  for  bringing  in  such legislation orregulations;

- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  conducted  anysurvey  correlating  possibility  of  increasing cases  ofobesity  due  to  consumption  of  junk  food  or  ultra-processed  food,  if  so,  the  details thereof;

(d) the details of the number of obesity and diabeticcases registered/recorded, State/UT-wise from year 2010to 2021; and

(e)  the  details  of  proposed  threshold  levels  of  salt,sugar  and  fat  in  the  junk  food  or  ultraprocessed junkfood according to Food Safety and Standards Authorityof India (FSSAI)?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a & b): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has informed that there is no law  or  regulations  notified  by  them.  However,  FSSAI  has  launched  a  nation-wide  media campaign titled 'Aj Se Thoda Kam', to encourage consumers to make dietary modifications by gradually reducing the consumption of fat, sugar and salt. A series of short videos (with subtitles in 12 languages) have been created for the same. The campaign is supported with flyers,  banners,  audio  clips  and  an  'Eat  Right  India'  website  with  useful  inputs  on  gradual reduction in consumption of fat, salt and sugar.

(c  &  d):  Indian  Council  of  Medical  Research  (ICMR)has  informed  that  ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN)has carried out an extensive survey in 5 geographical rural regions in  the  North,  South,  East,  West  and  North  East  parts  of  India  to  assess  consumption  of processed  and  non-processed  foods  in  India.  Results  of  ICMR-NIN/  National  Nutrition

Monitoring Bureau(NNMB) Rural surveys carried out in 10 states and Urban surveys carried out in 16 states in India are attached at Annexure-I and Annexure-II. (e):  FSSAI has informed that no threshold levels for salt, sugar and fat in the junk food or

- ultra processed junk food have been specified.

……………………

## Annexure-I

Prevalence (%) of overweight and obesity (≥Median +1 SD) # among children (517years) and adults (18years) Rural population in India: NNMB Rural surveys 2011-12 (10 States)

| State                     | Gender                    | 5-9 years   | 10-13 years   | 14-17 years   | Adults ( ≥ 18 years)   |
|---------------------------|---------------------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|------------------------|
| Number of people surveyed | Number of people surveyed | 8,400       | 6,692         | 5,945         | 56,425                 |
| Kerala                    | Male                      | 4.6         | 9.2           | 7.1           | 18.1                   |
|                           | Female                    | 3.8         | 7.3           | 7.2           | 30.4                   |
| Tamil Nadu                | Male                      | 0.6         | 3.7           | 3.9           | 16.4                   |
| Tamil Nadu                | Female                    | 0.0         | 4.6           | 2.9           | 23.2                   |
| Karnataka                 | Male                      | 0.9         | 2.0           | 0.0           | 11.2                   |
| Karnataka                 | Female                    | 0.8         | 1.2           | 3.3           | 11.8                   |
| Andhra Pradesh            | Male                      | 1.5         | 1.2           | 1.6           | 12.3                   |
| Andhra Pradesh            | Female                    | 1.5         | 1.8           | 0.7           | 12.7                   |
| Maharashtra               | Male                      | 0.9         | 1.6           | 2.7           | 9.9                    |
| Maharashtra               | Female                    | 0.2         | 2.7           | 2.3           | 10.7                   |
| Gujarat                   | Male                      | 0.6         | 2.0           | 2.1           | 8.7                    |
| Gujarat                   | Female                    | 0.6         | 2.3           | 0.7           | 11.5                   |
| Madhya Pradesh            | Male                      | 1.1         | 0.0           | 0.4           | 4.4                    |
| Madhya Pradesh            | Female                    | 0.6         | 0.0           | 0.0           | 6.4                    |
| Odisha                    | Male                      | 1.2         | 1.5           | 0.8           | 6.5                    |
| Odisha                    | Female                    | 1.4         | 1.4           | 1.8           | 7.2                    |
| West Bengal               | Male                      | 1.4         | 1.8           | 1.7           | 6.4                    |
| West Bengal               | Female                    | 0.3         | 2.3           | 1.3           | 10.4                   |
| Uttar Pradesh             | Male                      | 1.1         | 0.8           | 0.8           | 5.3                    |
| Uttar Pradesh             | Female                    | 1.0         | 0.4           | 1.5           | 7.7                    |
| States Pooled Pooled      | Male                      | 1.3         | 2.1           | 2.0           | 10.0                   |
| States Pooled Pooled      | Female                    | 0.9         | 2.3           | 2.0           | 13.5                   |

# NNMB Technical Report no. 26

Annexure-II Prevalence (%) of overweight and obesity (≥Median +1 SD) # among Children (517years) and adults (≥ 18years) of Urban population in India: NNMB Urban Surveys 2015-16 (16 states/UTs)

| State                     | Gender                    | 5-9 years   | 10-13years   | 14-17 years   | Adults ( ≥ 18 years)   |
|---------------------------|---------------------------|-------------|--------------|---------------|------------------------|
| Number of people surveyed | Number of people surveyed | 13,718      | 11,575       | 11,462        | 1,23,281               |
|                           | Male                      | 11.2        | 20.4         | 17.4          | 36.6                   |
| Kerala                    | Female                    | 11.1        | 15.1         | 12.1          | 52.1                   |
|                           | Male                      | 9.3         | 17.0         | 9.0           | 38.3                   |
| Tamil Nadu                | Female                    | 8.1         | 14.2         | 18.1          | 54.1                   |
|                           | Male                      | 6.3         | 11.0         | 6.6           | 33.6                   |
| Karnataka                 | Female                    | 6.7         | 7.1          | 9.6           | 43.6                   |
|                           | Male                      | 6.4         | 10.8         | 6.4           | 35.3                   |
| Andhra Pradesh            | Female                    | 6.2         | 11.8         | 8.3           | 43.0                   |
|                           | Male                      | 4.7         | 10.4         | 10.2          | 33.3                   |
| Maharashtra               | Female                    | 3.0         | 8.4          | 11.8          | 43.5                   |
| Gujarat                   | Male                      | 7.5         | 18.1         | 18.5          | 38.2                   |
|                           | Female                    | 7.6         | 13.0         | 12.9          | 52.2                   |
| Madhya Pradesh            | Male                      | 3.6         | 5.3          | 4.8           | 25.4                   |
|                           | Female                    | 4.3         | 7.7          | 7.1           | 33.1                   |
| Odisha                    | Male                      | 12.7        | 14.2         | 10.5          | 34.4                   |
| Odisha                    | Female                    | 9.4         | 11.7         | 13.0          | 37.6                   |
| West Bengal               | Male                      | 10.3        | 10.5         | 6.9           | 21.1                   |
| West Bengal               | Female                    | 5.5         | 8.9          | 8.6           | 35.1                   |
| Uttar Pradesh             | Male                      | 2.8         | 4.3          | 4.0           | 21.3                   |
| Uttar Pradesh             | Female                    | 3.3         | 5.4          | 5.2           | 29.7                   |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Male                      | 12.4        | 18.8         | 13.7          | 37.8                   |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Female                    | 11.7        | 16.1         | 9.7           | 44.0                   |
| Assam                     | Male                      | 15.3        | 18.5         | 13.7          | 27.8                   |
| Assam                     | Female                    | 12.7        | 17.9         | 12.8          | 38.9                   |
| Bihar                     | Male                      | 5.8         | 4.6          | 4.7           | 34.0                   |
| Bihar                     | Female                    | 3.8         | 5.5          | 4.9           | 31.6                   |
| New Delhi                 | Male                      | 11.1        | 15.7         | 15.8          | 37.4                   |
| New Delhi                 | Female                    | 14.2        | 12.1         | 11.3          | 52.3                   |
| Puducherry                | Male                      | 11.8        | 20.2         | 11.6          | 42.5                   |
| Puducherry                | Female                    | 11.1        | 20.4         | 16.1          | 59.7                   |
| Rajasthan                 | Male                      | 7.1         | 18.9         | 16.2          | 42.6                   |
| Rajasthan                 | Female                    | 8.2         | 8.3          | 11.1          | 50.5                   |
| India                     | Male                      | 8.1         | 12.6         | 9.7           | 33.8                   |
| India                     | Female                    | 7.2         | 10.8         | 10.2          | 44.0                   |

# NNMB Technical Report no. 27