Clear and simple specific warning labels on the front of packaged foods that can be easily understood by all can help cut down consumption of high fat, sugar and sodium (HFSS) causing serious disorders like diabetes, stroke and obesity, health experts have asserted. NCDs cause an alarming 64.9 percent of the deaths in our country and 40 percent of hospital stays.
“This (FOPL) would ensure curbing NCDs as has been done successfully done by the Chile”, Padma Shri awardee and leading endocrinologist Dr Anoop Misra said in a discussion with Gaurav S. Karrir from Institute for Governance, Policies and Politics (IGPP), an advocacy group on the World Diabetes Day on Sunday.
“Chile has mandated front-of-package warning labels, restricted marketing to children, and banned in-school sales of packaged foods and beverages high in calories and added sugar sodium, or saturated fat and exceeding set thresholds for these nutrients or for overall calorie content to carry FOPL—black octagon(s) with the words high-in sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and/or calories, whichever applies,” said Dr Misra.
Results have been encouraging. “These products saw a reduction in the consumption of sugary drinks by 23%,” said Dr Misra, who also happens to be the executive chairman of Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also found that regulations such as these are instrumental in reducing NCDs globally.
Nutritionist and diabetes educator, Sugandha Kehar also supported the FOPL stating that clear and simple labeling can help people including mothers make better and healthy choices for their kids and family.
Dr. Misra expressed displeasure that while the NCDs mostly caused by the unhealthy dies is on increase, India’s top food regulator FSSAI is yet to take any decision on the FOPL except holding a series of debates on the issue since 2013.
With no check on what is being sold in the market, Dr Misra pointed out that sugar is the single most important factor for obesity and consequent diabetes while high salt results in hypertension and consequent risk of heart diseases. Kehar called for intensified awareness campaigns against HFSS laden foods and help the people make healthy eating choices.