Chennai, July 15
In an effort to promote healthy eating habits and raise awareness about food safety among students, the Food Safety Department of Tamil Nadu will soon install ‘oil, sugar, and salt’ boards in all educational institutions across Coimbatore district.
The initiative is aimed at combating rising levels of childhood obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by educating students on the harmful effects of high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt diets.
These boards, developed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), will feature informative posters and digital displays.
They will highlight the recommended daily intake of sugar, salt, and oil, and explain how excess consumption can adversely impact health, including increasing the risk of obesity, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
To make the messages more appealing and accessible to children, the boards will feature attractive illustrations and cartoons. Officials believe this visual approach will help students easily understand the concepts of food safety and nutrition.
The campaign is being implemented following directions from the Union Health Ministry and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which has instructed all affiliated schools to establish the awareness boards.