CBSE's 'sugar boards' directive aligns with global nutrition goals: Experts

The recent directive by the Central Board of Secondary Education CBSE to install Sugar Boards in schools is an essential public health measure that also aligns with global nutrition goals said health experts on TuesdayAmid increasing cases of diabetes and obesity among young children the CBSE last week instructed over 24000 affiliated schools across India to establish sugar boardsThe Sugar Boards will provide essential information including recommended sugar intake the sugar content in commonly consumed foods such as junk food and cold drinks health risks associated with high sugar consumption and healthier dietary alternativesldquoThis initiative educates children about the dangers of excessive sugar consumption which is a major contributor to childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes By clearly displaying recommended sugar intake and the sugar content in common foods the boards promote awareness and healthier choicesrdquo Dr Naval Vikram Professor of Medicine at AIIMS New Delhi told IANSldquoCoupled with workshops and parental involvement this approach can reshape dietary habits early in life Itrsquos a timely and necessary public health measure that aligns with global nutrition goals and helps build a foundation for longterm wellness among Indian childrenrdquo added the expertType 2 diabetes once only prevalent in adults and the elderly is now more common among childrenIn the letter to school principals the CBSE attributed the alarming trend seen particularly in the last decade to high sugar intake often due to the easy availability of sugary snacks beverages and processed foods within school environmentsThe World Health Organization WHO recommends a reduced intake of added sugar throughout ones life In both adults and children WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10 per cent of total energy intake The UN health body suggests a further reduction of the intake of free sugars to below 5 per cent of total energy intakeldquoStudies have indicated that sugar constitutes 13 per cent of daily calorie intake for children aged 4 to 10 years and 15 per cent for those aged 11 to 18 years substantially exceeding the recommended limit of 5 per centrdquo the letter saidThe CBSE noted that the ldquoproliferation of sugary snacks beverages and processed foods often readily available in school environments contributes significantly to this excessive intakerdquoThe new Sugar Board will educate students about informed food choices and promote longterm health benefits among students it saidldquoI would say it is a good step but to reduce consumption of unhealthy food products lot more needs to be done including regulation for warning labels and ban of advertising of products High in Fat Salt and Sugar HFSS Even if you focus only on schools the canteen should be made lsquoHFSSfreersquordquo said Dr Arun Gupta a Newbased paediatrician told IANSIn addition to the risk of diabetes the excessive consumption of sugar also contributes to obesity dental problems and other metabolic disorders ultimately impacting childrens longterm health and academic performanceDr Harsh Mahajan ChairFICCI Health Services Committee called the initiative a timely and muchneededHe noted that while lifestylerelated disorders are beginning to affect children at a much earlier age worryingly many of these conditions remain undiagnosed until much later when irreversible damage has already occurredrdquo The experts also urged parents and schools to consider regular screening tests like fasting blood sugar HbA1c liver function lipid profile BMI and waist circumference to help understand childrenrsquos health and to make early changesThis 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 whatsoeveratOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params