Why are ‘sugar boards’ necessary in schools?
- Rising incidence of Type-2 diabetes among children: Once considered an adult disease, it is now increasingly seen in children due to high sugar intake.
- Excess sugar in diets: Children aged 4–10 get 13% of calories from sugar, and 11–18-year-olds get 15% — far above the recommended 5%.
- Unhealthy food environment in schools: Easy availability of sugary snacks, beverages, and processed foods in and around schools.
- Need for early health education: Schools are an effective platform to inculcate healthy eating habits from a young age.
Relevance : GS 2(Health , Governance)
What are ‘sugar boards’?
- Visual learning tool: DIY boards display actual sugar content in popular food/drinks like cola and packaged juices using teaspoons or packets of sugar.
- Student involvement: Children create the boards during workshops, making the activity interactive and engaging.
- Informative content: Includes sugar content in common foods, recommended daily intake, and health risks of excess sugar.
- CBSE’s role: Over 24,000 CBSE schools asked to implement the boards and submit reports/photos by July 15.
Role of NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Child Rights):
- Advocated for nationwide adoption: Urged all schools (CBSE + State boards) to implement sugar boards.
- Expressed concern: Highlighted the rise of Type-2 diabetes in children and the poor dietary environment in schools.
- Stakeholder engagement: Organizing sessions with pediatricians, teachers, and parents; promoting workshops and awareness programs.
Is Type-2 Diabetes prevalent in Indian children?
- Estimated incidence: 397 per lakh among Indian children (second only to China with 734/lakh).
- Lack of comprehensive data: No nation-wide population-based studies yet.
- Higher vulnerability: Indian genetic makeup predisposes to metabolic disorders even at lower BMI thresholds.
FSSAI’s regulatory status on sugar and HFSS:
- No finalized HFSS cut-offs: Scientific panel discussions underway but no consensus yet.
- Existing standards: WHO recommends <25g (6 tsp) sugar/day; India relies on these in absence of indigenous norms.
- Call for Indian-specific data: Experts argue for country-wide studies tailored to Indian dietary and metabolic profiles.
- Labeling norms: A product must have ≤5g sugar/100g to claim “low sugar”, but HFSS definitions for school meals are yet unresolved.
Next steps:
- Beyond sugar boards: NCPCR aims to include warnings about high salt and trans-fat in school meals.
- Data collection ongoing: Gathering health data from hospitals and during school health drives.
- Parent engagement: Emphasizing nutrition education during PTA meetings.
- Health expert outreach: Pediatricians to conduct awareness workshops in schools.
Conclusion:
- Sugar boards are a simple yet powerful educational tool to combat childhood obesity and lifestyle diseases.
- Their widespread adoption, combined with regulatory clarity, community engagement, and health data tracking, could form a holistic public health strategy for India’s children.
