Frame guidelines for imposing ban on junk food in schools: WCD

Union Women and Child Development Ministry today asked Health and Human Resource Development Ministry to frame guidelines for imposing ban on junk food in schools, days after a government-appointed Committee held such foods responsible for increasing obesity among children.
The Women and Child Development Ministry has also written to all Chief Ministers to take action on the basis of Committee's recommendations, a senior official said.
The Committee on Consumption of Junk Food by School Children had last week submitted a report to WCD suggesting measures to curb obesity among children including ban on sale of junk food in and around schools.

The Committee, which was set up to look into the issues related to growing problems of obesity in children and its relationship with consumption of such food, had expressed concern about the increasing incidence of obesity among them and the related-physiological issues including diabetes and hypertension.
The Committee had called for a comprehensive definition of junk food in the context of children. It had also suggested to not allow street-vendors to sell junk foods during school timings in a vicinity of 200 metres from any school.
Shops and restaurants selling food within 200 metres of a school should not be permitted to sell these to children in school uniforms, it had recommended.