Unhealthy food habits, lifestyle behind rising NCDs—Food Safety Commissioner Anoop Khinchi

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  “Unsafe food creates a various cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick,” he said and added that a safe food supply also supports national economies, trade and tourism, fostering sustainable development.
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• He also opined that the globalisation of food trade, a growing world population, climate change and rapidly changing food systems have an impact on the safety of food.
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• Further, Khinchi mentioned that food safety is a shared responsibility whether one is a policymaker, a food business operator, an educator or a consumer. He advised the public to always check food labels like nutritional content, manufacturing date, best before, ingredients, disclaimer on the food packet and whether the food products is registered under FSSAI to ensure the quality of the food.

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• Dr. Mereninla Senlem, head of the Health and Family Welfare department, highlighted the anti-obesity drive, noting that obesity is currently escalating at an alarming rate nationwide, affecting both urban and rural communities.
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• The shift towards processed food, reduced physical activity and lifestyle changes has further contributed to the growing crisis, she opined, adding that it has become a major public health challenge in India, affecting people across all age groups and increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, joint problems, respiratory issues etc., driven by unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, ad environmental factors.
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• Senlem disclosed that 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.
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• The survey also revealed that among individuals aged 15-49, 6.4% of women and 4.0% of men were obese. Additionally, a concerning rise was observed in the percentage of overweight children under 5.
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• The organisers shared that some of the foods to avoid includes high sugar snacks, fried and processed foods, high calories desserts, and limit screen time.
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• Experts recommended incorporating whole grains, pulses, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein-rich foods into daily diets, as well as promoting outdoor play.
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• Additionally, they conducted demonstrations on common food adulterants.