Lok Sabha Question No. 1000 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-29
Subject: Junk Food
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, DEVAJIBHAI GOVINDBHAI FATEPARA, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, ASADUDDIN OWAISI, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, T.G. VENKATESH BABU

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO. 1000 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH APRIL, 2016

## JUNK FOOD

## 1000. SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI DEVAJIBHAI G. FATEPARA:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK:

SHRI SATAV RAJEEV:

SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO:

DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI VENKATESH BABU T.G.:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the World Health Organisation has made any recommendation regarding packagin norms of junk food, soft drinks, energy drinks and other sugar sweetened beverages, if details thereof and the reaction of his Ministry thereon;
- (b) whether his Ministry has formulated/proposes to formulate a plan to curb junk food an sweetened beverages to control the growing problem of obesity and diabetes among children adul ts, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  his  Ministry  in  consultation  with  the  Ministry  of  Human  Resource  Developm proposes to ban junk food in schools and also adopt the guidelines prepared by National I of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad on ob esity caused by junk food and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether his Ministry proposes to adopt the practice of putting warning labels on ju items and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the further steps taken/being taken by the Government to create awareness about ill effects of junk food?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

- (a): No packaging norms have been developed by World Health Organisation (WHO) f r junk food,  soft  drinks,  energy  drinks  and  other  sugar  sweetened  beverages.  However,  WHO  h recently developed guidelines on 'Sugar intakefor Adults and Children' and theadverse

Contd……..

impactof high sugar in foods. The report was duly considered by the Expert Group of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Salt, Sugar and Fat while preparing report on fat, sugar and salt   consumption and its health impact among In dian populatio .

(b) & (c): 'Junk Food' has not been  defined under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Regulations thereunder. However, 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 wherein the availability of most common HFSS (High in Fat, Salt and Sugar) Foo in schools and an area within 50 meters thereof has been restricted/limited. The above gu have been shared wi th the Ministry of Human Resource Development for implementation. Most of the recommendations of  the Working Group constituted by the  Ministry of Women an Child Development  which included  National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) experts form pa guidelines prepared by FSSAI

(d): No such proposal is under consideration of the FSSAI at present.

(e): Media campaigns, documentary films, education booklets, stalls at Fairs/Melas /Ev and Mass Awareness campaigns, etc are being used for increasing awareness of the stakeholders about various aspects of food safety.

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