IPHACON 2021: Doctors urge use of warning labels on food packets to 'avoid health crisis'

Doctors and public health experts have advised India to make warning labels on the front of food and beverage packages a top priority in order to avoid a public health disaster. The 65th Annual National Conference of Indian Public Health Associations (IPHACON) brought together top doctors and public health specialists to coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the ongoing United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS).

IPHACON is a flagship event at which delegates from the country's premier medical, nutrition, social, environmental, and associated institutes address the country's health priorities. Doctors suggested that a safer food system should be the primary priority, citing research that has clearly established ultra-processed foods (UPF) as the biggest risk factor for many cancers, heart disorders, and the increased chance of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases. India's FOPL road has been long and winding, with industry opposition and a lack of agreement on the label design.

FSSAI announced that the nutrient profile model for the country is almost ready

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has announced that following rounds of consultations and study, the regulatory agency is almost ready to finalise the label design and a nutrient profile model for the country. According to ANI, Dr Sanghamitra Ghose, Secretary-General of the Indian Public Health Associations (IPHA), praised the progress and said, "Adoption of an effective front-of-pack label, preferably one that is interpretive and simple, is a critical policy tool and as doctors interacting with the rapidly escalating NCD crisis, we know the importance of this measure. If we are to safeguard the health of our youth and children, the time to fix the food system is now."

As India commemorates World Heart Day, cardiovascular disease or heart disease and strokes emerge as the top fatalities in the country. Heart disease, sometimes known as a heart attack, is the leading cause of disease burden in the country. Noncommunicable diseases(NCDs) account for more than 60% of all fatalities in India.

With scientific and medical studies proving unhealthy diets as a primary modifiable risk factor for all types of NCDs, countries are increasingly enacting labelling legislation to protect their populations' health. Ms Vandana Shah, Regional Director, Global Health Advocacy Incubator, stated, "Although there may be different types of FOPL or label design, high-in warnings label systems such as the one adopted by Chile and four other countries is clearly emerging as the global best practice. There are two key measures of FOPL’s success – when consumers change their buying patterns which in turn encourages industry to reformulate," based on her expertise working on food policy in different nations.

Health experts urge for strong FOPL

Studies from Chile indicate a considerable reduction in sugar and salt consumption, as well as the industry taking steps to make their products healthier in response to consumer shifts - all without costing the industries anything. The correct kind of FOPL can really stimulate a paradigm shift, which is why India, which accounts for 25% of the worldwide burden of heart disease, can't afford to get it wrong the first time. Dr Pankaj Bharadwaj, Additional Professor, AIIMS Jodhpur, emphasising the importance of focus on fixing the food supply so that critical nutrients of public health concern – salt, sugar, and fats – are fixed, said, "the famous Indian boast that we are all born with a sweet tooth, is costing us too dearly. Our social and cultural norms pivot around the exchange of sweets, as a result of which Indians end up consuming more than 4 times the amount of sugar that the world consumes. All ultra-processed foods have high levels of sugar, salt and fats and chemicals that are used for the processing actually make them addictive. It is a battle no different than the battle we fought against tobacco."

“A speedy call action must be issued by the public health fraternity for strong FOPL on food and beverage products in India to prevent an NCD crisis. AIIMS regional chapters have been consistently urging on adopting a strong FOPL in the interest of public health,” said Dr Pradeep Agarwal, Associate Professor, Dept of CFM, AIIMS Rishikesh.

The foundation for a strong FOPL is a science- and evidence-based nutrition profile model that specifies the maximum limit for these negative nutrients. Dr Umesh Kapil, President of the Epidemiological Foundation of India, stated that an NPM is the beginning point and that there is already a robust global model that can be implemented in India.

According to experts, a flawed labelling system will cause more harm than good. With seven years of deliberation behind it, India can no longer afford to experiment with less-than-ideal options like the traffic light label or the health star rating system, which, while widely adopted, have been criticised for being a compromise that favours industry while failing to direct consumers toward healthier options.

(With inputs from ANI)

Image: Unsplash