NEW DELHI: The Press Council of India (PCI) has written to the Union Health Ministry seeking ‘specific comments’ on advertisements appearing in newspapers that promote products high in fat, sugar, and salt foods (HFSS), which leads to obesity and is a risk factor for diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases.
The letter by PCI Secretary Shubha Gupta to Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said that they have received communication from Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi), which has sought amendment in the Norms of Journalistic Conduct to restrict advertising of HFSS food products.
“It is to be seen that the food items advertised by the print media are duly certified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),” the letter, which was also marked to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Ministry, said.
The letter dated April 3 shared the communication from NAPi, a national think-tank on nutrition consisting of independent medical experts, paediatricians, and nutritionists, with the ministry.
Giving reference to the communication from NAPi, which shared the definition of HFSS and Ultra-processed food products (UPFs), the letter said, “specific comment of the ministry is solicited as the concern raised by the NAPI vis-à-vis such advertisements being published in the newspapers.”
According to Dr Arun Gupta, Convener of NAPi, the letter to the Union Health Ministry resulted from one-year-long communications with PCI.