Amid circulating media reports suggesting that the Union Health Ministry has directed warning labels to be placed on food items like samosas, jalebis, and laddoos, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has clarified that such claims are inaccurate, misleading, and baseless.
The Health Ministry did issue an advisory recently, but it is not about labeling individual food items. Instead, the advisory forms part of a broader awareness campaign encouraging healthier food choices in workplaces. It recommends the display of informational boards in offices, lobbies, canteens, cafeterias, and meeting areas to promote awareness about the risks associated with excessive consumption of hidden fats and sugars.
According to the ministry, these boards are intended to serve as daily reminders in the fight against obesity, a growing health challenge in India. However, the advisory does not mandate warning labels on specific food items sold by vendors, nor does it single out traditional Indian snacks or street food.
The guidance is meant as a general behavioral nudge to encourage healthier lifestyles, not to stigmatize particular foods. It promotes balanced dietary habits by suggesting the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat meals, while also encouraging physical activity, such as using stairs, organizing short exercise breaks, and creating walking paths in workplaces.
This initiative is part of the Health Ministry’s flagship National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), which targets risk factors contributing to the surge in obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other lifestyle-related conditions. Excessive intake of sugar and oil has been identified as a major contributor to these health issues.
