Mumbai: Campus’ battle against junk food

College canteens are more than just eateries they are vibrant hubs for spontaneous discussions social interactions and spaces where food meets friendship The relationship between canteens and students is multifaceted and their role revolves much around the food served there But what happens when your canteenrsquos beloved junk food is replaced with an allhealthy menuIn a significant move to combat the rising tide of obesity and diabetes the National Advocacy in Public Interest NAPi a national think tank specialising in nutrition and public health has called on educational institutions to ban unhealthy foods In response the University Grants Commission UGC on July 15 issued a notification to all higher educational institutes HEIs banning the sale of junk food prepared in their canteens Citing a report from the Indian Council for Medical Research ICMR the UGC emphasised the health concerns associated with unhealthy food itemsThe notification highlighted ldquohellipIndia is facing a rapid increase in diseases with one in four people being either obese or diabeticprediabetic as per the ICMR report 20202023 But this ban on ldquounhealthyrdquo and ldquoultraprocessedrdquo foods in college canteens could pose significant challenges say canteen owners and contractors Many worry that this change will negatively impact their business A contractor from a college in South Mumbai expressed his concerns saying ldquoIf we donrsquot sell these the students will just go out and eat these dishes You cannot control that This will only hit our businessrdquoNeha Jagtiani and Ashish DaptardarThe canteen operatorsrsquo concerns underscore the complexities of the issue at hand Without addressing the broader context of studentsrsquo food choices such initiatives may struggle to achieve their intended health benefits Talking about the UGC notification Dr Ashish Daptardar Additional Registrar NMIMS University said ldquoWe laud the UGCrsquos decision to promote healthy food options in college canteens At NMIMS we pride ourselves on providing worldclass canteen facilities across all our campuses prioritising good food quality hygiene and overall dining experience Our nutritious menu is crafted by skilled chefs using fresh highquality ingredientsrdquoMany institutions have welcomed the move but many college administrators are in a quandary as they feel monitoring and controlling studentsrsquo eating habits is nearly impossible While the intent behind the UGCrsquos directive is commendable the practical challenges of enforcing it without adversely affecting the quality and appeal of canteen offerings may undermine its effectivenessNeha Jagtiani Principal of RD National College said ldquohellipWhen it comes to eating habits students mostly prefer convenient and affordable spicy and mostly fried fast food like pizza vada pav burger noodles etc which may taste good but are unhealthyrdquo ldquoWhile the concerns of UGC are wellmeaning it may be misconstrued as a totalitarian move Besides it may well prove to be counterproductive and myopic because the youth might resort to eating more unhealthy snacks elsewhererdquo Jagtiani saidJagtiani further suggested that the secret sauce in preventing various kinds of NCDs is not banning the socalled junk food available on campus but inculcating the love of real food with good nutritional content amongst this population demographic with campaigns targeted to educate about making correct food choices not banning them Some colleges felt that the notification lacked specificity regarding the prohibition merely mentioning the need to ban unhealthy and ultraprocessed food items Principal Rajendra Shinde of St Xavierrsquos College said ldquoThe notification doesnrsquot have any list of food items that should be prohibitedrdquoStudents speakWhile students acknowledge the intent behind the UGCrsquos notification many believe that completely banning junk food from canteen menus would be counterproductive ldquoJunk food at reasonable rates is why college canteens are full most of the time We rush there for a quick bite with friendsrdquo said K Aradhana a Mumbai University studentAradhana explained that the availability of junk food is a major draw for students ldquoJust because we canrsquot get junk food on campus doesnrsquot mean we wonrsquot eat itrdquo Suggesting a balanced approach she said ldquoI think they should offer both healthy and junk food options As a business management student I suggest slightly increasing the prices of junk food compared to healthier optionsAnother student from Mithibai College said ldquoOur college canteen has both options junk and healthy Itrsquos been like this for many years and I think that is more appropriate The choice should be left to the studentsrdquo Sharing his thoughts on the UGC notification an alumnus of Jai Hind College said ldquoI agree with what NAPi and the UGC are doing but these food items are the highlight of the college canteen The UGC needs to realise that despite issuing the notification twice before colleges in the city are yet to implement itrdquoPopular foods in city collegesWhile the University Grants Commission has previously issued health advisories on foods served in college canteens in 2016 and 2018 too the sale of junk food continues in all major higher education institutes in the city Most canteens have limited menu options with dishes such as sandwiches burgers samosa pizza and instant noodlesMMK College Eggfried rice and melted cheese pizza rollNMIMS Chhole bhature KungPao potatoes and Bhurji pavKC College Masala pav topped with cheeseSt Xavierrsquos College Chicken frankie chicken curry brownies and Oreo milkshakeSophia College Boasting one of the biggest canteens in the city Sophiarsquos canteen is famous for its chicken fried riceRamnarain Ruia College Chinese bhel chicken fried rice and butter chicken with pavIIT Bombay Hostel Six Chicken cheese fried Maggi Hostel Three Tagda Maggi loaded with cheese