Whether school kids like it or not, healthy food may soon replace junk in school canteens, and yoga will be made compulsory for school kids.
To tackle diabesity, health minister also suggests compulsory yoga for school kids
NEW DELHI: Whether school kids like it or not, healthy food may soon replace junk in school canteens, and yoga will be made compulsory for school kids. The Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss sees diabesity, which is a blend of diabetes and obesity, as a new health concern in India and plans to take steps to ward off the problem.
Leaving aside budget woes, Ramadoss took a day off to attend ‘New World Disorder’— the Confederation of Indian Industry’s seminar on Diabesity — where he stated that the disease was growing at an alarming rate, with over 54 per cent of Indians in their early 30s complaining of diabesity. This is only a per cent lower than USA, which tops the chart.
The Health Minister prefers to tackle obesity and diabetes separately, stating that his main concern is to control obesity among kids who would grow up to get diabetes and become victims of diabesity.
Quoting a WHO study, Dr Anbumani Ramadoss said, “The NFHS study by WHO shows obesity in India has grown from 11 per cent in 1999 to 17 per cent in 2005.”
Holding urbanisation and the presence of junk food in school canteens responsible for such alarming figures, Ramadoss stated his plans of banning junk food in school canteens and introducing compulsory yoga sessions in schools. “Juvenile obesity is catching up, and soon we would have 80 per cent of our population suffering from diabesity.” He added, “A recent study in a Delhi based school showed over 75 per cent of the kids suffering from obesity, which is a very bad sign.”
Ramadoss stated that his next priority was to enforce mandatory labelling on every food package, which would mention the nutritional value and the ingredients present, and would help people keep tab on what their kids eat. He said, “This would make parents aware of the consumption pattern of their kids, which will indirectly work towards reducing obesity,” The final draft for food labelling is up for approval and the Health Minister asserts that it would become mandatory in two months.
As Ramadoss stated his future plans, he made sure he didn’t leave behind celebrities. Complaining about actors endorsing food items without checking the hazards they could cause to young kids, he said, “A popular bollywood actor, who recently got a heart stroke, has been endorsing chips, which is considered to be unhealthy food. I am not sure what example he is setting for young kids.”
a_anita@dnaindia.net
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