How to Prevent Non-Communicable Diseases in India?
Ingredients such as salt, sugar and fats play a major role in harming the body. Therefore, it is necessary to keep them away to protect yourself from the non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension and heart diseases.  With this boom, it becomes critical to more strictly regulate the three harmful ingredients that are rampant in packaged foods and are fueling the NCD crisis.Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) along with the Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi), Epidemiological Foundation of India (EFI) and Pediatrics and Adolescent Nutrition Society (PAN) organized a webinar to discuss the importance of a strong Nutrient Profile Model (NPM) to guide consumption of processed and ultra-processed food in India.Leading global experts, doctors and senior scientists discussed the need for a consensus particularly in light of obstacles such as opposition from the food industry.Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, by adopting scientific thresholds for these ingredients -salt, sugar and fats - have taken decisive steps to safeguard their population, especially children.is a scientific method for categorizing food and beverage items according to their nutritional composition. It is developed with the key goals of reducing consumption of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar.Nutrition profile models (NPM) translate these broad goals into specific food and beverage targets and helps us to identify and differentiate foods that are unhealthy (high in salt, sugar, and/or saturated fats). Based on the "cut off" established by the NPM, the front-of-pack label informs consumers in a fast and straightforward way whether a product contains excessive sugar, sodium and saturated fat, helping them make a healthier choice. At the same time NPM can guide ban on promotion and marketing, especially directed to children and adolescents.Stressing on the importance of acting swiftly but not deviating from the science that informs the setting of these thresholds, global expert Professor Carlos A. Monteiro, Professor of Nutrition and Public Health at the School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and who heads the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition, said, "NPMs are frameworks developed after much research and field level studies by the WHO and experts from all over the world. "Prof Monteiro who was instrumental in developing the NOVA classification and the NPM model for Latin America, considered a best practice in grouping processed food, further added,Slowly but surely, over the last few decades, ultra-processed food is taking over the dietary preferences and buying decisions of consumers in India. Analysis of sales data reveals that per capita sales of ultra-processed foods grew from about 2 Kg in 2005, to about 6kg in 2019 and is projected to grow to about 8 kg by 2024. Similarly, ultra-processed beverages are up from 2 L in 2005 to about 6.5 L in 2019 and are projected to be about 10 L in 2024.Dr. Arun Gupta, Convenor, Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) warned that this exponential growth of the "junk" or processed food industry has left an indelible mark on the health of Indians.The path to adopting scientific limits on these anti-nutrients will not be easy, warns Mr Keshav Desiraju, former Health Secretary of India.Experts believe that a simple Nutrient Profile Model with single nutrient thresholds for two categories - food and beverages, works best. The single threshold nutrient profile model has been the most effective solution for implementing and monitoring the front of package label policy (FOPL). Countries such as Chile, Israel and Mexico with robust FOPL policies have adapted models with a single nutrient threshold.Emphasizing on the need for a scientific yet simple approach, Prof. H.P.S. Sachdev said, "To protect the health of our future generations and to reverse the worrying trends of obesity and other NCDs, we have to arm people, including children with information regarding high concentration of salt, sugar and fats in all packaged foods. Hence a science based NPM leading the way to a simple warning label, should be our immediate priority".In 2018 the Food Safety Standards Authority India (FSSAI) published draft regulation for FOPL which was subsequently withdrawn for further deliberation. In 2019 December, FSSAI delinked FOPL from general labelling regulations and is currently seeking consultations with civil society, industry and nutrition experts for a viable model for India. Extensive research regarding the appropriate 'cut offs' for nutrients of concern have already taken place, including a recent study by National Institute of Nutrition which corroborates the limits on salt, sugar and fats set by WHO.Source: IANS