Parliament Question: Health Drinks Labelling

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO.3677 TOBE ANSWERED ON 13TH MARCH, 2026 HEALTH DRINKS LABELLING †3677. SHRI ASHOK KUMARYADAV: Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a) whether the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued directives to e-commerceplatforms torefrainthemselvesfrom categorizingthe said products as'Health Drinks',given the factthatthisterm isnot definedunderthe Food SafetyandStandardsAct, 2006andif so, the detailsthereof; (b) whether the Government isaware of the rise inNon-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and the increasing trendof diabetes andobesity amongthe youthandif so, the detailsthereof; (c)whether the Government hasreviewed the recommendationsof the WorldHealth Organization (WHO) regarding'FreeSugar' limitsandif so, the details thereof; (d) whether anincrease inchildhoodobesity hasbeenrecorded inthe National Family Health Survey-5(NFHS-5)andif so, the details thereof; and (e)whether the Government isconsidering measures relatingtoFPOLabelling,scientific claims, sugar limitsandpublic awareness initiativesandif so, the detailsthereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) to (e): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is mandated to lay down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. The implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006isa shared responsibility between the Central andStateGovernments.FSSAIvide advisory dated 28.03.2024hasclarifiedthat‘HealthDrink’ isnot defined/ standardized anywhere under the FSS Act, 2006 or rules and regulations made thereunder. Therefore, the food products licensed under 'Proprietary Food' with the nearest category- Dairy Based Beverage Mix or Cereal Based Beverage Mix or Malt Based Beverage being sold in the e-commercewebsite underthe category ‘Health Drink’,‘Energy Drink’ have been advised to remove / de-link such drinks / beverages from the category of ‘Health Drinks / Energy Drinks’ on their website and place such products in the appropriate category as providedunderthe extantlaw. As perthe National Family HealthSurvey(NFHS-5,2019–21), 24 % of women, 23% of menand3% of childrenare overweight or obese. Unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles and environmental factors are key contributors to the rising prevalence of obesity. The increasing consumption of processed foods, reduced physical activity, and lifestyle changes have further intensified this growing crisis, affecting bothurbanandrural populations. In order to inculcate a healthy eating habit among the consumers especially youth, FSSAIundertakesfollowing awareness andregulatorymeasures:-  FSSAI has launched “Stop Obesity” & “Fight Obesity” campaign on social media under which a range of educational and awareness contents on obesity are shared Testimonial clips featuring School Children, Youth, and Self-Help Group (SHG) members are posted on social media on fighting obesity and reducing oil usage. Child-friendly animated videos are developed and published on social media to educate kids about the dangers of obesity and the value of healthy eating and regularphysical activity.  The quiz named ‘Eat Right Quiz on Obesity’ in Collaboration with MyGov has been launched in April 2025 to engage people in a fun & interactive way while educatingthemondifferent aspectsof obesity andhealthyliving.  Nation-wide campaign 'Eat Right India' movement with a focuses on preventive and promotive healthcare through social andbehavioural change. This initiative is built on three core pillars - Eat Safe, Eat Healthy and Eat Sustainable. It is acollective effort, of all stakeholders, led by FSSAI, to transform the food ecosystem of the countrywith a tagline ‘SahiBhojanBehtarJeevan’.  To address the adverse effects of consuming foods high in fat, salt, and sugar, FSSAI has undertaken the campaign called 'Aaj se Thoda Kam' to promote moderate consumption. It encourages consumers to gradually reduce their intake of fat,salt, andsugar through dietary modifications.  FSSAI has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations,2020which prescribesthe standardsfor different categoriesof Infant food and formulae. The limits specified for sugars in infant food products under the FSS (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020 is in alignment with the globalstandards like Codex andWorld HealthOrganization(WHO).  FSSAI has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 mandates the mention of nutritional information on the labels w.r.t salt, sugar and fat for consumer to make informedchoices while selecting the food articles. "Har Label Kuch Kehta Hai" campaign on social media promotes food safety consciousness and healthy eating habits across India. This national initiative focuses on empowering consumers to make informed dietary choices by enhancingtheirunderstanding of food labels. *****