No Warning Labels for Samosas and Jalebis: Health Ministry Clarifies

Recent media reports claiming the Union Health Ministry has mandated warning labels on popular Indian sweets and snacks like samosas, jalebis, and laddoos are misleading, incorrect, and baseless.

The Ministry has clarified that it has not directed the issuance of warning labels on food products sold by vendors, nor has it selectively targeted Indian snacks or the country’s rich street food culture.

What the Health Ministry’s Advisory Actually Says

The Union Health Ministry did issue an advisory, which is a separate initiative aimed at promoting healthier choices in workplaces. This advisory suggests displaying awareness boards in various workplace areas such as lobbies, canteens, cafeterias, and meeting rooms.

These boards are intended to:

Raise awareness about the harmful consumption of hidden fats and excess sugar in various food items.

Serve as daily reminders in the fight against obesity, a growing concern in India.

The advisory is a general behavioral nudge to make people aware of hidden fats and excess sugar in all food products, not specifically targeting any particular item.

Promoting Overall Health and Well-being

Beyond just addressing hidden fats and sugar, the advisory also promotes other healthy messages, including:

Encouraging healthy meals like fruits, vegetables, and low-fat options.

Suggesting physical activity by promoting stair use, organizing short exercise breaks, and facilitating walking routes.

This initiative is part of the Ministry’s flagship National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD). The Ministry emphasizes that excessive consumption of oil and sugar are significant contributors to the rising rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other lifestyle-related diseases.

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