Fast food items and snacks like pizzas, samosas, burgers, vada pavs as well as soft drinks and pastries may keep your taste buds happy, but they aren’t health-friendly. To drive home this point, the Union Health Ministry recently issued an advisory urging government departments, offices and public institutions to install ‘Oil and Sugar Boards’ in common areas, displaying key information about hidden fats and sugar content in popular food items.

The advisory comes in light of the rising obesity rates in India, with excessive oil and sugar consumption being key contributors among unhealthy food habits driving this surge. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-2021), 24 per cent of Indian women and 23 per cent of Indian men were overweight or obese, as compared to 21 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively, in NFHS-4 (2015-16).

Experts agree that moderation is key when it comes to fried snacks