Regulate salt use in fast food, WHO tells India

Will Support Delhi With Evidence On Perils Of Overuse

New Delhi: The amount of salt and sugar on the menus of fast food companies in India may soon come under the scanner. 
    The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday said it would like to see the Union health ministry regulate the use of salt and sugar in the fast food being dished out. 
    Experts say junk food — high on such content — is fuelling India's hypertension and obesity epidemic. 
    Dr Nata Menabde, country representative of WHO, told TOI that the global health watchdog would support India with scientific evidence to help better negotiate with companies on cutting down salt and sugar use. 
    "The ministry should put in place effective policies to reduce consumption of salt and sugar. However, there is also a need to change the tastes of general public. We recommend the ministry should take up the issue with the food industry," Dr Menabde said. 
    A recent study — Consensus Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Living and Prevention of Obesity, the Metabolic Syndrome, Diabetes and Related Disorders in Asian Indians — says Indians have become more affluent, urbanized and mechanized. The easy availability of convenience foods have led to irregular meals and frequent snacking on energy dense fast foods that typically have low nutritional value and are packed with sugar. 
    WHO recommends consuming five grams of salt a day by an adult. However, an average Indian consumes 9-10 grams of salt a day. 
    Salt is known to cause hypertension that is responsible for 57% of deaths due to stroke, and 24% of fatalities caused by heart attack in India. Experts say that just by reducing salt consumption, India can reduce incidents of stroke by 25% and heart attacks by 10%. On the other hand, sugar is being considered the new enemy in Indian kitchens. A consortium of scientists recently said sugar is far from just "empty calories" that make people fat. 
    At the levels consumed by most, sugar changes metabolism, raises blood pressure, critically alters the signalling of hormones and causes significant damage to the liver.