Mumbai: Over one lakh school cafetarias in the state have been instructed to include fruit, vegetables, pulses and milk on their menus and college cafetarias. A circular to this effect has been issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, to combat the rising menace of obesity, diabetes and other lifestyle diseases in the juvenile population. Junk foods high in fat, sugar and salt are a common sight in school and college canteens. The FDA’s ‘Eat Right’ campaign, which will run from May through December, will ensure health teams at every school will revise the menus and food and safety officials will closely monitor these.
FDA commissioner Dr Pallavi Darade says food is the most critical component of every living being and ‘Eating Right’ goes a long way towards building a healthy community and society, by reducing the syndromes of food-borne diseases and by also controlling the under-nutrition and obesity epidemic. On May 3, the government of Maharashtra approved the implementation of these guidelines across schools and colleges in the state from the academic year 2019-20 onwards. The FDA has formulated guidelines to be followed by school/college authorities to ensure the availability of wholesome, nutritious, safe and hygienic food for students.
“With this programme, we will ensure nutritious, clean and safe food is made available by respective authorities for students of schools and colleges. Hence, along with the comprehensive academic curricula, it is vital to inculcate good food habits, maintenance of physical fitness and a disciplined, healthy lifestyle in children right from school or college,” said Dr Darade.
Health officials said because of the increased availability and the trend of eating readily available junk foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), the regular consumption of such HFSS foods may lead to various health problems in adolescents. Due to excessive intake of such food, the incidence of diseases like obesity and diabetes is on the rise.
“Children develop these diseases with weight gain (obesity) and excessive salt intake. Since foods with HFSS ingredients are easily available, in attractive packaging and at low prices, children’s eating habits are changing. Therefore, the consumption of foods in which carbohydrates, proteins and other essential ingredients are naturally present (fruits) and (vegetables) in home-cooked foods made at home have been reduced,” said an official.