NEW DELHI: There is no proposal before the Ministry of Women and Child Development to design, in coordination with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, a ‘front-of-pack labeling’ awareness campaign to identify empty calories in ultra-processed snacks, the Rajya Sabha informed on Wednesday.
In a written reply, Women and Child Development Minister Anpurna Devi said “hidden hunger” refers to a deficiency of essential micronutrients, and high-calorie foods are those that are prepared using cooking oil or excess fat, or by adding more sugar or salt, according to the National Institute of Nutrition ICMR.
The minister said that states and union territories have been advised to reduce the use of added sugar in supplementary nutrition such as home-cooked rations and hot cooked meals provided to children, teenage girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
She said they were instructed to avoid foods high in fat, sugar and salt in all age groups and to promote moderation in the consumption of edible oils, especially saturated fats, while avoiding trans fats.
States and union territories have been further encouraged to conduct targeted campaigns on healthy lifestyles and balanced diets for field staff, anganwadi workers and the community at large, Devi said.
Highlighting the installation of oil and sugar boards at anganwadi centres, government offices, childcare institutions, ration shops and other public places, the minister said these are aimed at sparking discussions on food choices and sensitizing families about the hidden content of sugar and oil in commonly consumed foods.
The minister said that states and union territories conduct regular awareness activities during Jan Andolans during Pushan Mahas and Pushan Pakhwadas, focusing on topics like healthy lifestyles, preventing obesity in children, and reducing consumption of sugar and oil.
She said the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is also taking awareness measures, including the ‘Eat Right India’ movement, the ‘Aaj se Thoda Kam’ campaign, and social media campaigns like ‘Stop Obesity’ and ‘Fight Obesity’.
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