Battling Obesity: In A Landmark Move FSSAI Launches Trans-Fat Free Logo; Here’s Why It’s Necessary

In an important landmark against the unhealthy trans-fats and a significant push for its ‘Eat Right Movement’, the Food Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a ‘Trans-Fat Free’ logo.

The FSSAI launched Eat Right Movement in July 2018 with the stated goal of improving public health and combating negative nutritional trends to fight lifestyle diseases.

Trans fats

Trans fatty acids (TFAs) or Trans fats are largely produced artificially and occur naturally only in a small amount.

The fats we consume can be categorised as unsaturated, saturated, and trans fats, depending on the level of saturation of the fat molecule by Hydrogen.

Unsaturated fats are the healthiest of all. They are present in nuts, avocados and vegetables. Saturated fats are mostly found in animal products, like lard, and are higher in calories than the unsaturated fats. For a healthy lifestyle, people are advised to reduce the consumption of saturated fats.

Trans fats are the unsaturated fats that are partially saturated with hydrogen to increase their shelf life. They are particularly harmful as they not only raise the total cholesterol levels but also reduce the good cholesterol (HDL), which helps to protect us against heart disease.

Artificial TFAs are introduced in our diets through hydrogenated vegetable oils (PHVO)/vanaspati/ margarine while the natural TFAs are present in meats and dairy products, though in small amounts.

The twin challenge of under and over nutrition

The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and UNICEF between February 2016 and October 2018 pointed out that around 10 per cent of the children (5-9 years) and adolescents (10-19 years) were over-weight or obese.

The same survey pointed out that close to 7 per cent children and adolescents are at risk of chronic kidney disease, 5 per cent adolescents had high blood pressure and 4 per cent had high cholesterol.

The survey corroborated the findings of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) that a significant number of children were undernourished. Close to 25 per cent of children of school-going age (5-19 years) were found to be underweight (thin for their age) while around 20 per cent were stunted (short for their age).

Therefore, India is facing twin challenge of obesity as well as undernutrition.

The South Asian population is particularly at risk of obesity due to higher average body fat ratio than caucasians at the same Body Mass Index.

While the National Nutrition Survey shows that the highest incidence of obesity among children is in Goa, Tamil Nadu, Delhi Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh, the NFHS data shows that the highest growth in obesity is in the poorest, most undernourished states.

There is actually a link between undernourishment and obesity.

Low birth weight babies are at a higher risk of obesity. They are more likely to be subjected to obesogenic childhood environment as parents try to overfeed them. Such children experience a mismatch between the foetal environment (the mother is undernourished, close to 50 per cent pregnant Indian women are anaemic) and the environment they experience outside.

In such a case, the child experiences a quick “rebound” growth and fat deposition- as the body fears undernourishment- which diverts the resources away from body’s vital complex tissues.

Another reason behind the poorer states showing high growth of obesity might be due to the priority given to grains like wheat and rice in the government’s food subsidisation schemes, be it the PDS or the MSP. This gives wheat and rice advantage over the healthier grains like Jowar, Bajra etc.

Eat Right Movement

The FSSAI has launched the movement to target both the supply-side and the demand-side of unhealthy foods.

On one hand, the agency wants to empower citizens to make the right food choices, on the other, it nudges food businesses to reformulate their products, provide better nutritional information to consumers and make investments in healthy food as responsible food businesses.

The Eat Right Movement brings together three initiatives of the FSSAI- Safe and Nutritious Food Initiative which is focused on social and behavioural change; Eat Healthy Campaign for reduction of high fat, sugar and salt foods in the diet; and Food Fortification, focused on promoting staple foods like wheat flour, rice, oil etc with added vitamins and minerals.