Union Health Ministry's New Push for a Healthier India: Oil & Sugar Board Advisory Explained
🚨 Context: India’s Growing NCD Burden In response to a dramatic rise in obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has issued a new directive to promote healthier food choices in public institutions. The circular, issued by Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, IAS, on 21 June 2025 , outlines the urgent need to display "Oil and Sugar Boards" in government workplaces. These boards are intended to serve as visual behavioural nudges encouraging reduced intake of sugar and oil—two leading culprits behind lifestyle-related health conditions in India. 📊 The Alarming Data As per NFHS-5 (2019-21) , 1 in 5 adults in urban India is either overweight or obese. The Lancet GBD 2021 forecast predicts the number of overweight and obese adults in India will rise from 18 crores in 2021 to 44.9 crores by 2050 , making it the second-highest global burden . Childhood obesity is...