Vigilance needed to protect children's health

Nature gives newborns the most sacred and divine gift of nourishment through their mothers' milk. Scientific studies have also established that breast milk provides both essential nutrients and immunity. In the past, parents paid close attention to their children's health through adolescence. They ensured that children were given nutritious food rather than food chosen merely to satisfy fleeting tastes. With wholesome food and plenty of exercise through play, obesity among children was far less common. Baldness and protruding bellies were once considered characteristics of men. Times have changed, and so has that perception. Today, women, too, are as conscious as men about reducing abdominal fat and maintaining a healthy body weight.

The number of people taking morning walks, exercising and practising yoga is increasing by the day. Yet, negligence and a lack of attention to children's health have emerged as a major threat. Overweight children are no longer a small minority in schools. The growing prevalence of diabetes, high cholesterol and heart-related ailments among teenagers is certainly a matter of concern. Kerala, once regarded as a state at the forefront of healthcare, can no longer afford to be complacent about its public health. Against this backdrop, the Supreme Court's strict directive that excessive amounts of sugar, salt and fat in packaged food products must be declared prominently on the front of the package comes as a major relief.

The court's concern over the packaged-food culture increasingly affecting children's health and posing a serious threat should serve as a wake-up call to everyone. Health experts and healthcare workers had warned about these dangers long ago. Children and parents have now begun to experience the consequences of the negligence and lack of attention shown to the issue.

There can be no compromise when it comes to public health. Consumers, particularly children, must know what they are eating. The Supreme Court has given two weeks to take a decision and implement the directive. A Bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran warned that this was an ultimatum and that, if no action was taken, the court would itself pass an order. Neither governments nor parents appear to have given adequate thought to the influence of corporations that use advertising to radically shape children's food preferences. They fail to recognise the reality that the younger generation is the one that must eventually be their support and strength.

Children are increasingly eating while staring at mobile phones, often without paying attention to what they are eating or even recognising its taste. Adults are not entirely different in this regard. As a result, traditional food items are being neglected, while foods high in sugar, salt and fat are becoming increasingly appealing to the palate. The Supreme Court has directed that if products such as chips, biscuits and instant snacks contain sugar, salt, saturated fat or sodium, appropriate warnings must be displayed prominently on the front of the package. The court has also criticised the Centre and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for their reluctance to act on the matter.

If the directive is not implemented within two weeks, the Supreme Court has indicated that it will intervene to protect the health of the younger generation. Many packaged products already carry warnings, but such warnings have rarely had any meaningful impact on marketing practices or consumer behaviour. The same should not be allowed to happen in this case. Effective public awareness must accompany the implementation of the directive so that consumers, especially children and their parents, understand the importance of making healthier food choices.