Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Education issued an advisory on March 15, 2025, to all schools, including private ones, to reduce oil consumption in food by 10% to address childhood obesity, following concerns raised by the Prime Minister. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has been directed to establish Sugar Boards to educate students about the risks of excessive sugar intake. The Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness Programme (AB SHWP), a joint effort by the Ministries of Health and Education, continues to train teachers as Health and Wellness Ambassadors.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Addressing Childhood Obesity:**
* Advisory issued to all schools to reduce oil consumption in cooking by 10%.
* Schools encouraged to conduct special classes, invite nutrition experts, and hold quizzes on healthy eating.
* Promotion of activities like EcoClub discussions, yoga, and exercise sessions.
* Teachers to guide parents on managing obesity; students to engage in low-oil cooking, recipe sharing, and health tracking projects.
* Emphasis on better cooking methods, portion control, and limiting processed foods.
* **Sugar Awareness:**
* CBSE schools directed to establish Sugar Boards with information on:
* Recommended daily sugar intake.
* Sugar content in commonly consumed foods.
* Health risks of high sugar consumption.
* Healthier dietary alternatives.
* **Health and Wellness Program:**
* Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness Programme (AB SHWP) in progress since 2020.
* Two teachers per school trained as Health and Wellness Ambassadors (HWAs).
* HWAs conduct regular sessions on 11 themes, including nutrition, health, sanitation, and healthy lifestyles.
Impact Analysis:
Schools (including private schools):
* Impact: Required to implement measures to reduce oil consumption in foods and educate students about healthy eating habits and risks of excessive sugar intake.
* Action Required: Implement the advisory by reducing oil consumption by 10%, conducting awareness activities, establishing Sugar Boards (CBSE schools), and supporting HWAs.
Teachers:
* Impact: Expected to guide parents on managing obesity and participate as Health and Wellness Ambassadors.
* Action Required: Guide parents, participate in AB SHWP as HWAs, and conduct sessions on health and wellness themes.
Students:
* Impact: To become more aware of healthy eating habits, risks of obesity and high sugar consumption, and engage in activities promoting health and wellness.
* Action Required: Participate in health-related activities, adopt healthier eating habits, and engage in low-oil cooking and health tracking projects.
Parents:
* Impact: Expected to support the school's efforts in promoting healthy eating habits and managing childhood obesity.
* Action Required: Follow guidance from teachers, support children in adopting healthier lifestyles, and participate in School Management Committees.
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE):
* Impact: Responsible for ensuring affiliated schools establish Sugar Boards and comply with the advisory.
* Action Required: Ensure affiliated schools establish Sugar Boards with the required information.
Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:
* Impact: Oversee the implementation of the advisory and the Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness Programme.
* Action Required: Continue joint implementation of the AB SHWP, monitor the effectiveness of the advisory, and provide necessary support to schools.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Education: The government ministry responsible for education in India, which issued the advisory on reducing oil consumption.
Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025: An interactive event where the Prime Minister of India addresses students regarding examinations and related stress; mentioned in the context of raising concerns about childhood obesity.
Man Ki Baat: A radio program hosted by the Prime Minister of India, used as a platform to express concerns about childhood obesity.
Fit India Movement: A nationwide movement in India to encourage sports and fitness activities. The advisory on reducing oil consumption aims to reinforce the core message of this movement.
Swasth Bharat: A vision for a healthy India that the Fit India Movement contributes to.
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE): A national level board of education in India for public and private schools, which has asked affiliated schools to establish Sugar Boards.
Sugar Boards: Information boards established in schools affiliated with CBSE to educate students about the risks of excessive sugar intake.
Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness Programme (AB SHWP): A joint initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Education to promote health and wellness among school children.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2453
ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025
Appointment of Health Ambassadors in Schools
2453. Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni:
Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has issued any advisory to all States and UTs for reducing
10 per cent of oil in cooking in view of childhood obesity and if so, the details
thereof;
(b) whether any training proposed to be given to teachers to identify obesity in students
and guide parents to take suitable remedial measures, if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the number of schools appointed student health ambassadors, State/UT-wise?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (c) The Hon’ble Prime Minister, while speaking in “Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025”
and “Man Ki Baat” has expressed his concern about increasing childhood obesity among school
students in India. Obesity amongst children in India is on the rise and has become a policy
concern for the country. The passage of time has resulted in more sedentary lifestyles and a
rapid shift away from traditional diets to consumption of fat rich processed foods and sugary
drinks. The Hon’ble Prime Minister has suggested practical advices including importance of
reducing the usage of cooking oil by 10% in day-to-day food consumption.
The Ministry of Education, Government of India has issued an advisory on 15 March,
2025, to all schools in the country, including the private schools, to encourage reduction of oil
consumption in foods by 10 % to address student obesity.
To raise awareness about the benefits of reducing oil consumption, the advisory
recommends the schools to conduct special classes, invite nutrition experts, and hold quizzes on
healthy eating. Activities like Eco-Club discussions, yoga, and exercise sessions promote well-
being may be organised in schools. Teachers may guide parents on managing obesity, while
students engage in low-oil cooking, recipe sharing, and health tracking projects. Emphasis on
better cooking methods, portion control, and limiting processed foods encourages balanced diets.School Management Committees can involve parents and communities in sustaining these efforts.
By aligning nutritional choices with physical fitness, the advisory reinforces the core message of
the ‘Fit India Movement’ fostering active and healthy lifestyles as part of broader vision of a
Swasth Bharat. The Advisory of the Ministry of Education is placed at Annexure-1.
To educate students about informed food choices and promote long-term health benefits
among students, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked its affiliated schools to
establish ‘Sugar Boards’ where information is displayed for educating students about the risks of
excessive sugar intake. These boards should provide essential information, including the
recommended daily sugar intake, the sugar content in commonly consumed foods (unhealthy
meals such as junk food, cold drinks, etc.), health risks associated with high sugar consumption,
and healthier dietary alternatives.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), and the Ministry of Education
(MoE), jointly implement the Ayushman Bharat – School Health and Wellness Programme (AB-
SHWP) since 2020. Under this, two teachers per school trained as Health and Wellness
Ambassadors (HWAs) conduct regular sessions on 11 themes including nutrition, health and
sanitation, growing up healthy, and promotion of healthy lifestyles. State/UT-wise details of
trained Health and Wellness Ambassadors is placed at Annexure-2.
***ANNEXURE-2
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (C) OF LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2453 FOR 04.08.2025 RAISED BY SHRI
BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI, HON’BLE M.P. REGARDING APPOINTMENT
OF HEALTH AMBASSADORS IN SCHOOLS
STATE/ UT WISE DETAILS OF TRAINED HEALTH AND WELLNESS
AMBASSADORS
S.No States/UTs Teachers Trained as HWAs*
1 A & N Islands 266
2 Andhra Pradesh 47252
3 Arunachal Pradesh 1179
4 Assam 16244
5 Bihar 51788
6 Chandigarh 687
7 Chhattisgarh 13267
8 DD-DNH 496
9 Delhi 1440
10 Goa 812
11 Gujarat 53400
12 Haryana 14934
13 Himachal Pradesh 9150
14 J &K 20502
15 Jharkhand 31057
16 Karnataka 10227
17 Kerala 0
18 Ladakh 1448
19 Lakshwadeep 40
20 Madhya Pradesh 49216
21 Maharashtra 31175
22 Manipur 579
23 Meghalaya 4094
24 Mizoram 1694
25 Nagaland 658
26 Odisha 49291
27 Puducherry 380
28 Punjab 1876
29 Rajasthan 42117
30 Sikkim 1419
31 Tamil Nadu 570409
32 Telangana 6944
33 Tripura 6062
34 Uttar Pradesh 79502
35 Uttarakhand 11010
36 West Bengal 15838
*As per reports received from the States up to FY 2024-25.