Economic Survey recommends ban on ultra-processed food ads from 6 am to 11 pm

Raising concerns on the growing consumption of ultraprocessed foods containing high fat salt and sugar amid India becoming one of the fastest growing markets for such items in the world the Economic Survey has pitched for a ban on their advertisements from morning to late nightThe preBudget document tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday also suggested restrictions on the marketing of infant and toddler milk and beverages while flagging growing obesity among childrenMore troubling still the prevalence of excess weight among children under five has risen from 21 per cent in 201516 to 34 per cent in 201921 it saidAccording to estimates over 33 crore children in India were obese in 2020 and it is projected to reach 83 crore children by 2035 The 201921 National Family Health Survey NFHS reports that 24 per cent of Indian women and 23 per cent of Indian men are overweight or obese it added Among women aged 1549 years 64 per cent are obese and among men 40 per cent are overweight the survey saidSuggesting measures to address the challenge of ultraprocessed foods UPF it called for a frontofpack nutrition labelling of highfat sugar and salt HFSS food with a warning restricting marketing to children and ensuring that trade agreements do not undermine public health policyStating that improving diets cannot depend solely on consumer behaviour change the survey said it will require coordinated policies across food systems that regulate UPF production promote healthier and more sustainable diets and marketing The option of a marketing ban on UPFs from 0600 hours to 2300 hours for all media and enforcing restrictions on the marketing of infant and toddler milk and beverages could be explored according to the surveyBesides traditional media it has also recommended UPF marketing restrictions to be mandatory and include digital media It cited examples of Chile which has integrated laws along with Norway and the UK where advertisement restrictions are in place for UPFsRecently the UK has banned junk food advertising before 9 pm on TV and online to reduce childrens exposure and curb childhood obesity Further action on other marketing activities including school and college sponsorship of events by UPF manufacturers can be designed it saidAccording to the survey Rule 7 of the Advertisement Code prohibits misleading unverified or unhealthy advertisements it does not define misleading with measurable or nutrientbased criteria leaving interpretation subjective and inconsistent Similarly the Central Consumer Protection Authority CCPA Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements 2022 mandate that advertisements must not exaggerate health benefits or exploit childrenyet they lack clear nutrient thresholds or a framework for identifying misleading claims in food marketing it said adding that this regulatory ambiguity allows companies marketing UPFs to continue making vague health energy or nutrition cues without violating any clearly defined standard highlighting a critical policy gap that needs reformThe survey expressed concern that India is one of the fastestgrowing markets for UPF sales which is contributing to chronic diseases worldwide and widening health inequalities It also suggested a multipronged approach for tackling the increase of human intake of UPF popularly known as junk foods which includes burgers noodles pizza soft drinks etc and said it is contributing to chronic diseases worldwide and widening health inequalitiesSales of UPFs in India grew more than 150 per cent between 2009 and 2023 Retail sales of UPFs in India surged from USD 09 billion in 2006 to nearly USD 38 billion in 2019 a 40fold rise It is during the same period that obesity has nearly doubled in both men and women the survey saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever