Editorial: CBSE’s healthy initiative

As part of the CBSE’s effort, schools will remove high-sugar, high-fat items like sodas, chocolates and pastries from the canteen and come up with healthier menus

“I think, therefore I am,” was the defining statement of the 17th-century French philosopher René Descartes. If this dictum has to be modified to reflect the reality of our times, it may well be “we are what we eat”. The quality of our life is largely determined by what we eat today. An alarming rise in non-communicable diseases in India, like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, is mainly attributed to the growing consumption of highly processed foods that contain sugar and fats. Of particular concern is the growing instances of childhood diabetes because of the easy availability of sugary snacks, soft drinks and processed foods within school environments. The official data reveals that Indian children aged 4 to 10 years derive about 13% of their daily calorie intake from sugar, while those aged 11 to 18 years get around 15%, far exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommendation of just 5%. It’s a ticking bomb that needs to be defused urgently. A 2023 report by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in the 10 to 19 age group as almost 2%. In cities, this figure was as high as 3–4%. Against this grim backdrop, the latest initiative by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to promote awareness about the nutritional content of foods being consumed in school campuses is highly laudable. The CBSE has directed all its 26,000 affiliated schools across the country to put up ‘sugar boards’ that display information on sugar content in everyday foods, their health risks, and alternatives to sugary snacks and drinks.

The move is part of a broader nationwide awareness and intervention strategy to reduce excessive sugar consumption among school-going children and prevent the risk of getting type 2 diabetes, a condition where the sugar-regulating hormone insulin is not enough to keep blood sugar levels in range. There has been a significant increase in Type-2 diabetes among children over the past decade. A 2023 study by the PGIMER, Chandigarh, concluded that the combined prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes among Indian school children stood at 15.35% and 0.94%, respectively. While Type 1 diabetes remains more prevalent in younger age groups, Type 2 diabetes is rapidly rising among adolescents. As part of the CBSE’s effort, schools will remove high-sugar, high-fat items like sodas, chocolates and pastries from the canteen and come up with healthier menus. They will also help build awareness on calorie-dense foods and their health impact. Some States have already taken similar steps. Karnataka recently removed sugary ‘chikki’ bars from its school meal programme and introduced bananas and eggs instead. While schools are expected to lead this change in food preferences from a young age, parents and communities too must play an active role. The long-term success of this initiative will depend on regular awareness efforts, strong monitoring and support from all stakeholders.

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