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occasion of World Food Safety Day 2025, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, delivered the keynote address at a special programme themed “Stop Obesity by Eating Safe and Healthy” at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, today. Organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, the programme focused on the critical role of food safety and nutrition in preventing non-communicable diseases such as obesity.
Minister of Medical Education and Skill Development Department, Government of Karnataka, Dr. Sharanprakash R Patil, Members of Parliament, Lahar Singh Siroya and P C Mohan, Union Health Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava and senior officers of the Government of India also attended the event.
In his keynote address, Nadda reiterated the Prime Minister’s emphasis on preventing obesity and prioritizing wellness. Emphasizing the urgent need to address the rising burden of obesity and non-communicable diseases, Nadda stated that “the awareness initiative to stop obesity is a timely step towards educating people about the health risks of poor dietary habits and encouraging them to embrace balanced, nutritious food” and underlined that “for a Viksit Bharat, a healthy India is necessary and that can be ensured through the right types of food, healthy food habits and healthy lifestyle.”
Recognizing the alarming trend of rising obesity, citing the ICMR–India Diabetes (INDIAB) study, Nadda stated that “from 2008 to 2020, obesity in urban, India has increased by 39.6%, while it has increased 23.1% in rural areas.” He also cited another study that projects that by 2050, 1/3 population of the country will be obese.
Nadda urged all stakeholders to respond to the Prime Minister’s clarion call and reduce oil consumption by 10% and reduce salt intake that can be ensured through awareness towards right food habits.
Nadda also commended the innovative behavioural change strategy i.e., the widespread promotion of Sugar and Oil Boards across schools, workplaces and public institutions, developed by FSSAI under the aegis of Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare that serve as powerful visual advocacy tools, displaying clear, relatable information about hidden sugars and fats in everyday food items. By embedding these messages in common spaces- canteens, corridors, meeting rooms, they subtly nudge individuals to make healthier choices. He also suggested that to make the initiative more effective, calories intake should also be highlighted along with sugar and urged for incorporating awareness in the curriculum.
Emphasizing the importance of traditional foods, Nadda urged all to “go for traditional foods that include foods like millets and revive them to ensure health for all.” He further highlighted the importance of informed choices and lifestyle changes and remarked that food safety habits are a continuous process that needs to be made a part of our lives and turned into a movement to ‘eat right’ while adhering to food safety norms.”
Durning her special address, Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare emphasized the importance of early sensitization and collaborative inter-sectoral action to build a culture of safe food and healthy living.
Punya Salila Srivastava, highlighted the efforts for leveraging science, bringing surveillance and risk assessment systems to ensure safe and secure food for all. She also underlined the importance of healthy food habits and urged all the stakeholders to be vigilant and informed about food safety and avoid foods with harmful additives.
She further added that “to make India free of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), it is important to eat right and eat healthy, reduce oil intake and spread the message of healthy dietary habits through united efforts of all stakeholders. Healthy food choice is not just a personal cause, but also a contribution to the cause of healthy country.”
Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Government of India, emphasized on the importance of eating right and stopping obesity. He reiterated the Prime Minister’s call for reducing oil consumption by 10% while emphasizing on the need to make children aware about their food choices and stressed on the need of community participation to ensure healthy eating habits. He also emphasized on the importance of good and right food on cognitive functions and highlighted the initiatives undertaken by the Department of School Education like incorporating Shri Anna (millets) in meals, emphasis on physical education and wellbeing to ensure healthy food habits amongst all students and teachers.
