Maharashtra Pediatricians Urge State Govt To Halt Sugary Items in School Midday Meals

A group of pediatricians has urged the Maharashtra government to halt the distribution of sugary food items in school midday meals. In a letter to the state's School Education Minister, Deepak Kesarkar, the Maharashtra Academy of Pediatrics warned that these food items could contribute to an increase in childhood obesity and diabetes.

The letter referenced a government resolution (GR) that mandates serving rice pudding to children four times a week under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana, formerly known as the midday meal scheme.

सरकार महाराष्ट्रातील शाळकरी मुलांना मधुमेहग्रस्त आणि स्थूल बनवू पाहते आहे! राज्यात पहिली ते आठवीपर्यंतच्या विद्यार्थ्यांना आठवड्यातून ४ वेळा जेवणात गोड पदार्थ आणि त्यातील साखरेचे प्रमाण ३०-४५ ग्राम एवढे भरमसाठ ठेवण्याचे तुघलकी निर्णय सरकारने घेतला आहे, ज्याला बालरोग तज्ज्ञांचा… pic.twitter.com/sfsW4r0SyA

— Ambadas Danve (@iambadasdanve) August 19, 2024

"The GR mentions that 25 grams of sugar be added to the meals of students from Class I to V and 45 grams for students from Class VI to VIII," the letter said. "We need 25 grams of sugar per day. There are two types of sugar. One is added and the other is naturally present in food items. The students keep eating other food items throughout the day, which increases their sugar intake," Maha Paediatrics Association president Dr Ramgopal Chejara told PTI.

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According to a report of PTI, "Adding 25 to 45 grams of sugar to these meals could increase the risk of children becoming diabetic and obese. Our teams have visited schools, and we have appealed to the government to stop providing such sugary food items," the letter stated.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve also criticized the state government over this government resolution (GR). The state government thinks the future generation is a factory to digest excess sugar, he said in a post on X.