The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a set of important directives for all its affiliated schools in a bid to tackle the growing issue of childhood obesity among students. As per the new guidelines, schools will now be required to establish 'oil boards' in order to promote a healthy lifestyle among students. These boards will serve as visual reminders to students, helping them understand the impact of excessive oil intake on their health.
Rising obesity rates in India
As per the CBSE letter, National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019-21, revealed that over one in five adults in urban areas are overweight or obese and as per the Lancet Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021, an obesity forecasting study published in 2025, the number of overweight and obese adults in India is projected to rise from 18 crores in 2021 to 44.9 crores by 2050, making it the country with the second highest global burden.
Data highlights alarming trend
The letter stated, "The data points out that there is a sharp rise in obesity among both adults and children. As per NFHS-5 (2019-21), over one in five adults in urban areas are overweight or obese. As per The Lancet GBD 2021 obesity forecasting study, published in 2025, the number of overweight and obese adults in India is projected to rise from 18 crores in 2021 to 44.9 crores by 2050, making it the country with the second-highest global burden. Prevalence of childhood obesity is impacted mostly by poor dietary habits and reduced physical activity".
CBSE's new directive:
- Schools will now install 'oil boards' to raise awareness among children about the amount of oil used in food.
- All official documents will now carry messages related to the prevention of obesity.
- Nutritious food will be prioritised over junk food, and regular physical exercise will be encouraged.
- Students will be encouraged to walk and use stairs instead of elevators.
- Schools can design the 'oil boards' as per their convenience and creativity.
Health ministry's complementary initiative
In a major push to promote healthier lifestyles and combat the rise of obesity and Non-Communicable Diseases like diabetes and heart disease among others, the Union Health Ministry in June had proposed to prominently display boards indicating the amount of oil and sugar content in popular food items, such as pizzas and burgers as well as samosas, vada paav, kachori among others, in schools, offices, institutions in various Departments/Offices/autonomous bodies and organisations.
PM Modi's call for awareness
Earlier in March this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the issue of obesity and urged people to reduce their consumption of cooking oil by 10 per cent. The Prime Minister urged everyone to take proactive steps to "reduce obesity" and emphasised the importance of reducing the consumption of cooking oil, asking people to "commit to using 10 per cent less oil in their daily cooking. The Prime Minister addressed the rising concern of lifestyle diseases, particularly obesity, which has become a significant health threat and referred to a recent report predicting that by 2050, over 440 million Indians will suffer from obesity. "This alarming figure indicates that one in every three people could face serious health issues due to obesity, potentially making it a life-threatening condition", PM Modi stated.
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