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Indian Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines on the Fast and Junk Foods, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Fruit Juices, and Energy Drinks
Given the widespread availability and increasing consumption of fast foods and sugary beverages (including fruit juices, carbonated drinks, and energy drinks) among Indian children, which are linked to rising obesity and related diseases, there is an urgent need to establish guidelines for managing their intake among children and adolescents. Gupta et al. (2019) conducted this work to review the available data and provide consensus statements about the nomenclature, scope, and possible harms associated with fast food, junk food, sugar-sweetened beverages, and fizzy drinks. Additionally, it proposes recommendations for reducing the consumption of these foods and beverages among Indian youth. A National Consultative Committee of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) Nutrition Chapter, which included representatives from the public and commercial sectors, examined pertinent research, recommendations, and policies. After distributing a detailed literature review to members, the group convened in New Delhi on March 11, 2019, for a day-long meeting to draft the guidelines. Consensus statements and recommendations were shared with participants, resulting in a finalized consensus document. The organization uses the abbreviation’ JUNCS’ to refer to various harmful food categories, including junk food, ultra-processed food, nutritionally unsuitable food, caffeinated, colorful, or carbonated food or beverages, and sugar-sweetened beverages. They conclude that consuming these items increases free sugars and energy intake, correlates with higher body mass index, and potentially adverse cardiometabolic effects in children and adolescents. Consumption of caffeinated drinks may lead to cardiac and sleep disturbances. The group advises minimizing JUNCS foods and beverages, ideally limiting them to no more than one serving per week. They recommend choosing whole seasonal fruits over fruit juices, with no fruit juices recommended for infants and young children (<2 years). For children aged 2-5 years and 5-18 years, daily limits of 125 mL and 250 mL of fruit juice are suggested. The group advises against children and adolescents consuming caffeinated energy drinks. They support banning JUNCS foods in school canteens and nearby areas, promoting healthy snacks, implementing traffic light coding for foods in schools, and legally prohibiting advertisements of JUNCS foods on media targeting youth. Furthermore, they propose communication, marketing, and policy strategies, including taxation, to encourage healthy food consumption and discourage JUNCS foods. [NPID: Fast food, sugary beverages, guidelines, obesity, adolescents, recommendations, caffeine, healthy snacks]
Year: 2019
