Govt mulls ban on advertising unhealthy food in & around schools

NEW DELHI: In a move to ensure healthy eating among school children, the food regulator has come up with draft regulations proposing a ban on sale as well as advertisement and promotion of unhealthy food — high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) — in school premises and within 50 meters of the school campus.
The draft regulation titled - ‘Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and healthy diets for School Children) Regulations, 2019’ – also listed several measures for monitoring and surveillance of the quality of food sold, and supplied to school children.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has sought public comments on the draft by December, after which it would be finalised for implementation.
“Food business operators manufacturing HFSS food products shall not advertise or offer for free sale of such foods to children in school premises or within 50 meters of the School campus,” the draft regulations said.
The proposal also contains guidelines for providing safe and wholesome food to school children. This includes guidance on selection of foods. For instance, it suggests 75-80% of the foods should be cereals, pulses, milk products, eggs, fish, meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts etc. It also advises discouraging availability of HFSS foods such as deep fried foods like french fries, fried chips, samosa, chola bhatura, gulab jamun etc., sugar sweetened carbonated or non-carbonated beverages, ready to eat food, noodles, pizzas, burgers, confectionery items, sugar and sugar based products etc.
In June this year, FSSAI CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal had announced that the regulator has proposed banning advertisements of unhealthy food in and around school. However, the notification of the draft norms were pending with the health ministry for approval.
The school authority itself or food business operators (FBOs) contracted by it and FBOs contracted by Department of School Education for operation of the mid-day meal scheme will have to “obtain a registration or license” as applicable and comply with the requirements of sanitary and hygienic practices specified under the food safety law, the draft says.
The FSSAI has proposed that school authorities will have to adopt a comprehensive programme for promoting safe food and healthy diets among school children.
“Encourage school authorities to promote consumption of a safe and balanced diet in the school as per the guidelines issued by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN),” the draft regulation said.
It also prescribes regular inspection of premises to ensure that safe, healthy and hygienic food is served to students
The FSSAI proposes creation of a sub-committee by the state level advisory committee to monitor the implementation of regulations and to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food to school children.
“A healthy food make our kids feel better, grow better and learn better and right eating habits can be engrained in the children from a young age. At the heart of these regulations is a fundamental idea to make it clear what is healthy for children and what is not,” FSSAI said.