Answer

India is witnessing a sharp rise in childhood obesity and early-onset type 2 diabetes, driven by poor dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles. The easy access to ultra-processed, sugary foods in schools has worsened the crisis. CBSE’s directive to install ‘sugar boards’ is a timely step toward preventive awareness and behavioural change.

Reasons Behind Rising Childhood Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

• Increased Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods: Children increasingly consume sugary drinks, packaged snacks, and cereals high in fat, salt, and sugar.
  Example: A 2024 study in The Lancet Global Health linked high ultra-processed food (UPF) intake to a 2.7% increase in all-cause mortality risk per 10% increase in UPF intake.
• Sedentary Lifestyle and Lack of Physical Activity: Rising screen time and academic pressure limit children’s daily physical activity.
  Example: According to the WHO (2023), over 80% of adolescents aged 11–17 globally are not sufficiently active.
• Easy Access to Junk Food in School Environments: Many schools sell sugary beverages and snacks with little regulatory oversight.
  Example: CBSE itself noted that increased access to such food items directly correlates with higher diabetes risk among students.
• Lack of Nutritional Education: Children are unaware of the health impacts of dietary choices due to the absence of structured nutritional education.
  Example: NFHS-5 (2019–21) found over 3.4% of Indian children aged 5–19 are overweight, and numbers are rising in urban areas.
• Aggressive Food Marketing Targeting Children: Children are regularly exposed to advertisements for sugary snacks and beverages, influencing their consumption.
  

Significance of CBSE’s Directive to Introduce ‘Sugar Boards’ in Schools

• Raises Early Awareness on Sugar Risks: Sugar boards educate students on the sugar content in everyday foods and its link to chronic diseases.
  Example: CBSE aims to reach over 26,000 schools, ensuring national-level awareness on diet-related health risks.
• Encourages Informed Food Choices: Visual education tools can influence children to make healthier decisions regarding snacks and beverages.
• Promotes Behavioral Change at Household Level: Educated students can influence family food habits, creating a multiplier effect beyond schools.
  Example: Similar success was observed in the FSSAI’s Eat Right School campaign, which improved home-level dietary patterns.
• Supports National Diabetes Prevention Efforts: Helps implement preventive health strategies aligned with India’s National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS).
• Establishes a Public Health Norm in Education: Institutionalising health messaging in education fosters lifelong wellness habits.
  Example: Finnish National Nutrition Council dietary guidelines, schools must provide free, healthy lunches to every student.

Targeted Policy Initiatives to Address Health Risks from Poor Dietary Choices

• Ban Sale of Junk Food in and Around Schools: Enforce FSSAI guidelines to restrict high-fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) food sales within 50 meters of school campuses.
• Mandatory Nutritional Education in School Curriculum: Introduce interactive modules on food labels, healthy diets, and diabetes prevention from primary level onward.
• Strengthen Mid-Day Meal and School Canteen Policies: Make mid-day meals more diverse, nutritious, and regionally adapted while regulating school canteen menus.
  Example: Poshan Abhiyan (MoWCD) has already highlighted that nutrition diversity in school meals improves cognitive development.
• Subsidise Healthy Snacks and Promote Kitchen Gardens: Encourage schools to grow local produce and offer fruits, millets, and traditional snacks as alternatives.
• Monitor Advertising Targeted at Children: Regulate digital and print advertisements of unhealthy food and beverages during children’s TV programs and online content.

While awareness through school-based interventions is essential, it must be complemented by regulatory and nutritional reforms. A multi-pronged policy approach covering education, food environment, and marketing controls can address the dietary root of non-communicable diseases. Early action today ensures a healthier generation tomorrow.