Warning For Food Lovers! Eating Samosas, Jalebis As Unhealthy As Cigarettes? New Health Alert Here

Eating your favorite junk foods samosas and jalebis, could become a guilt trip, as the health ministry issued a new warning. To combat obesity, the ministry has ordered all central institutions, including AIIMs Nagpur to install oil and sugar boards on deep-fry foods as they are now akin to cigarettes and tobacco.

According to a Times of India report, the health ministry has ordered all central institutions, including AIIMS Nagpur, to install "oil and sugar boards"—vivid "posters spelling out how much hidden fat and sugar lurk in everyday snacks. It's a first step toward treating junk food like tobacco.

This is an initiative to tackle obesity! The ministry believes India could become the world's second-largest hub of obesity by 2050, with 44.9 crore predicted to become overweight. Hence, as per the reports, the initiative is to combat non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases.

The oil and sugar boards are reportedly brightly colored posters that reveal information such as the quantum of fat and sugar inside everyday snacks.

The warnings could not have been at a better time when demand for junk and deep-fry foods is high during monsoon, another worrisome factor.

It is expected that soon cafeterias and public areas will start displaying the warnings, as per directions.

However, it needs to be noted that the initiative is not a ban on these deep-fry foods; they will continue to be available as usual. However, it is a campaign that seeks to create awareness among the public.

In August 2019, the PM Modi-led government launched the FIT India movement to make fitness an integral part of our daily lives. The mission of the Movement is to bring about behavioral changes and move towards a more physically active lifestyle.

In March 2025, PM Modi emphasized the need for nationwide awareness and collective action to reduce obesity, particularly through lower edible oil consumption. He nominated prominent individuals across India to lead an awareness movement.

This call for collective action highlights the importance of tackling obesity at both individual and community levels, reinforcing the need for a fitter and healthier India. The Government of India has launched several initiatives, including the Fit India Movement, NP-NCD, POSHAN Abhiyaan, Eat Right India, and Khelo India, to promote healthier lifestyles, better nutrition, and physical activity. These programs aim to encourage long-term behavioural change, ensuring a healthier future for all, as per the statement.

What Is Obesity?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity is defined as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a health risk. The commonly used metric to classify obesity is Body Mass Index (BMI), where a BMI of 25 or above is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 or above is classified as obese. In India, a person is considered overweight if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 23.0 and 24.9 kg/m², and obese if their BMI is 25 kg/m² or higher. Morbid obesity occurs when a person's BMI is 35 or more.

As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-21), overall, 24% of Indian women and 23% of Indian men are overweight or obese. As per the NFHS-5, (2019-2021) in the category of ages 15-49 years, 6.4 % of women and 4.0 percent of men, are obese. There has also been an increase in the percentage of children under 5 years who are overweight (weight-for-height) from 2.1 percent in NFHS-4 (2015-16) to 3.4 percent in NFHS-5 (2019-21) at the All-India level.