CBSE Targets Pupils’ Sugar Intake

Hyderabad:The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has directed all affiliated schools to set up ‘Sugar Boards’ on campus to spread awareness and reduce sugar intake among students. The move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s call for healthier dietary practices.

In a circular issued to school principals, CBSE director (academics) Dr Praggya M. Singh noted a sharp rise in type-2 diabetes among children over the past decade—a condition once seen primarily in adults. She attributed this to high sugar consumption, often fuelled by the easy availability of sugary snacks, beverages and processed foods within school environments.

Welcoming the directive, child rights activist Vijay Gopal urged the State government to extend such measures by banning the sale of junk food and soft drinks to children in multiplexes and malls. CBSE school principals expressed support for the initiative, stating that many institutions had already begun efforts to curb sugar consumption among students.

Sanjeev Nampally, principal of Butterfly International School, said, “We already have several committees in place, such as the Pocso committee, Anti-Ragging and Tobacco-Free Task Force. Our school is a Chocolate-Free Campus—even on birthdays, students are not allowed to bring chocolates. Instead, we encourage them to donate books to the school library or orphanages.”

K. Bhavani, principal of Meridian School, said, “In line with the board’s circular, we will encourage students to adopt sugar-free habits and will conduct health awareness programmes once the academic year begins. We already have a Health Board that educates students about their food choices. On the advice of a nutritionist, we have replaced sugar with jaggery in our food menu. Parents have responded positively and are supporting the promotion of a sugar-free lifestyle.”

Dr Ramesh Ranaveyina, assistant professor at Government ENT Hospital, Koti, described the initiative as timely. “Junk food and sugary beverages are now common and easily accessible. Excessive sugar and carbohydrate consumption can lead to serious health issues. Type-2 diabetes, primarily caused by unhealthy eating, affects major organs including the heart, liver, kidneys and lungs. It also leads to obesity, breathing difficulties, and fatigue, which impact academic performance. Diabetes damages the pancreas, which is responsible for processing glucose and generating energy.”

Prime Minister Modi, in a recent address, also stressed the need for dietary changes, urging people to reduce their consumption of edible oil by 10 per cent as a step towards tackling obesity. Citing a study, he said one in every eight people globally suffers from obesity, with the number of cases having doubled in recent years. “Even more concerning is the rising incidence of obesity among children,” he added.

According to World Health Organisation data, nearly 250 crore people worldwide were overweight in 2022.