New Delhi/Nagpur: The Press Information Bureau (PIB), the government’s official fact-checking arm, on Tuesday clarified that the Union Health Ministry has not issued any advisory requiring vendors to display health warnings on popular Indian snacks like samosas, jalebis, or laddoos.
“The advisory of the Union Health Ministry does not carry any warning labels on food products sold by vendors, and has not been selective towards Indian snacks,” PIB stated on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle @PIBFactCheck.
The PIB emphasized that the ministry’s advisory was a general health message aimed at encouraging people to make healthier dietary choices by being aware of hidden fats and excess sugar, and not a directive targeting Indian street food culture.
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“It is a behavioural nudge to promote healthy eating and living, not a mandate to display warnings on specific food items,” the PIB said.
Clarification Amid Confusion
This clarification comes after several media reports claimed that the Health Ministry had ordered cafeterias and public spaces, including in Nagpur, to install “oil and sugar warning boards”. These boards were reportedly intended to display the hidden fat and sugar content in everyday snacks — likening the move to how tobacco is labeled with health risks.
Some reports suggested that AIIMS Nagpur was the first to act on this advisory, with officials confirming receipt of a circular and plans to implement these posters across campus cafeterias and common areas.
The Bigger Health Context
The supposed advisory reportedly stemmed from growing concerns about obesity in India. A government letter cited projections that over 44.9 crore Indians could be overweight or obese by 2050, potentially making India the second-largest hub for obesity in the world. Currently, 1 in 5 adults in urban India is overweight, and childhood obesity is also rising, driven by unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles.
However, the PIB has firmly stated that there is no health ministry directive to label or warn against specific Indian snacks, and the reports circulating otherwise are misleading and inaccurate.
