Junk Food Banned In Indian Schools

“Please! Mum! Please! Please! I really want one!” If constant complaining by your children has caused you to give your kids money to buy burgers, fries , chips etc from school canteen, you’re not alone. These foods had created havoc creating unhealthy kids with unhealthy eating habits. And as per the reports,India is expected to reach the number of 27 million obese children by 2030  as compared to eleven million at present. 

By 2030, India will cross the United States as the country and become home to second highest number of obese children in the world. It was a great concern of parents and school .But now those worrisome times are gone.

The FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) has made a wise move. It framed Food Safety and Standards regulations in 2019 to bring down consumption of unhealthy food by school children.In a view to inspire children to eat only safe and wholesome food.

unhealthy food

FSSAI announced a ban on the sale of junk food in school canteens,in its regulation. Other bans reportedly comprise ,the sale, distribution and advertisement of junk food within 50 metres of a school campus, including in the school canteen and hostel kitchen.The ban is part of the "Eat Right" campaign by the FSSAI.

According to the regulation, "junk food" includes:carbonated juices and drinks, chips, burgers, pizza, sweets such as 'gulab jamun' etc.

This move was extremely necessary looking at the statistics by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in 2016 which revealed that 93% of children ate packaged food, 68% childrem ate packaged sugar-sweetened beverages more than once a week, while 53% children consumed junk food at least once a day. It also revealed that a large number of children who consumed packaged food more than twice a week, ate them at school or bought the products from school canteens or provision stores near school area. This action by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) was a step ahead in positive direction towards the health of our future.Such bans should be promoted and propogated so that larger audience is aware of the severe need of good health for our nation.