Say no to sweets, students told

Lokmat News Network

By Mehboob Inamdar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The students will have to stop consuming chocolate, toffees and other sweet items in the premises of educational institutes henceforth, as the schools were asked to install ‘Sugar Boards’ displaying the risk of excessive sugar intake.

It may be noted that mostly adults or senior citizens are found suffering from type 2 diabetes. However, there has been a significant rise in type 2 diabetes among children during the last eight to ten years.

According to experts, one of the causes of the alarming trend is high sugar intake, mostly because of the easy availability of sugary snacks, processed foods and cold drinks within educational institute premises.

The excessive consumption of sugar not only increases the risk of diabetes but also causes obesity, dental problems and other disorders, affecting children's long-term health and academic performance.

After studying this trend, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) issued a letter to the education departments of all the states, including Maharashtra. The NCPCR in the letter stated that studies show that sugar makes 13 per cent of daily calorie intake for children aged 4 to 10 and 15 pc for those aged 11 to 18, crossing the recommended limit of 5 pc.

Subsequently, an officer from the Education Department (Mumbai) Dr Mushtaque Shaikh issued a notice for the schools stating that the excessive consumption of sugary snacks, drinks and processed foods which are easily available in school premises, is leading to a significant increase in type 2 diabetes in children and this has impact on the health and study of children.

To address this problem, all schools were asked to establish a ‘Sugar Board’ to educate students about the dangers of excessive sugar consumption.

State Secretary of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) Devidas Balkrishan Kulal also sent a communication to all the divisional secretaries of the Board, providing information about creating awareness among schools and junior colleges of the State.

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Initiative to be implemented in students interest

When contacted, Education Officer of the district (primary section), Jaishri Chavan, said that eating too much really has an impact on the health of students. “We will implement the initiative in the schools of the district in the interest of students who are the future of the country. The schools will have to display the ‘Sugar Boards’ to stop students from consuming sweets on their premises,” she added.

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--By implementing this initiative, schools can encourage informed food choices and promote long-term health benefits among students.

--Schools should integrate this initiative into their health and nutrition programmes, conduct periodic sugar-awareness activities and workshops.