2 of India's favourite snacks enter health alert list, know which are these and why

India's most favourite snacks, samosa and jalebi, have come under the health spotlight as the country faces a sharp rise in obesity. These snacks are mostly enjoyed during special occasions, are now being eaten more often. Union Health Ministry has directed all central government institutions, including medical campuses like AIIMS Nagpur, to install 'oil and sugar boards' posters across cafeterias and public spaces, according to a Times of India report. These colored posters will mention the hidden fat and sugar content in commonly consumed Indian snacks, from pakoras and laddoos to vada pav and gulab jamuns.

According to the report, similar to tobacco warnings on cigarette packets, this initiative is the start of a larger awareness campaign. The goal is to progressively place junk food risks in the public's mind in a similar way.

These boards will serve as discreet but firm reminders of the health risks associated with common foods like samosas, jalebis, laddoos, pakoras, and vada pav. They will be hung in cafeterias and public spaces, particularly in government buildings.

“This is the beginning of food labelling becoming as serious as cigarette warnings,” ToI quoted DrAmar Amale, president of the Cardiological Society of India’s Nagpur chapter, as saying. “Sugar and trans fats are the new tobacco. People deserve to know what they’re eating.”

AIIMS Nagpur officials confirmed receiving the directive. Soon, cafeterias will have warning-style graphics designed to serve as gentle reminders to the public about the nutritional dangers included in common snacks.

The action is a result of mounting concern over India's worsening obesity problem. Over 44.9 crore Indians are expected to be overweight or obese by 2050, putting the country just behind the US globally, according to a government memo obtained by The Times of India.

One in five urban people is already overweight, and the increase in childhood obesity due to sedentary lives and bad diets has only made public health issues worse.

 “This isn’t about banning food,” said senior diabetologist Dr Sunil Gupta. “But if people knew that one gulab jamun contains nearly five teaspoons of sugar, they might pause before taking seconds.”

According to medical professionals, this is a part of a larger effort to address non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, many of which are caused by nutrition. The strategy is to post the information without police plates.

One of the first cities to test the change will be Nagpur.  Anticipate eye-catching posters, memorable quotes, and unavoidable culinary facts.