With the latest controversy surrounding Cadbury Bournvita, I admit I am feeling guilty and reconsidering my decision. Much has already been written about the controversy and how the product is a “sugar bomb,” but the first thing we need to change in our homes is our sugar consumption.
Traditionally, in Indian homes, Sugar (sugar) is considered auspicious and mothers are not in the habit of including it in the diet of their children. Actually, we believe that kids and youth are fittest and can eat anything and everything.
You must have noticed grandparents serving paranthas with butter, hot chapatis dripping with desi ghee or bowls of smooth and sweet homemade sweets. It is often considered a sign of their love and care.
Socially and traditionally, we believe that sugar or oil should not be rationed to children but only to the elderly or people with health issues, thanks to popular cliches like – If you don’t eat now, when will you eat (roughly translated ‘it’s time to eat as you wish’).
But with changing times, we have now realized that India is grappling with the burden of lifestyle and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and it is time to change the basics. These NCDs include heart disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases – accounting for about 38 million (68 percent) of all deaths globally and about 58.7 million (60 percent) of all deaths in India.
How Much Sugar Is Right?
High consumption of free sugar, often exceeding the recommended 5 percent intake, is associated with obesity in children, dental caries and NCDs in later stages of life. You can blame the rising air pollution and lifestyle diseases, the changing environmental conditions, the post-pandemic world, but there is an urgent need for a change in the diet of our children.
Coming back to Bournvita, the label says: ‘Add 2 tablespoons (20 g) of Bournvita to a cup of hot or cold milk’.
Many of us don’t focus on the ’20 grams’ and use our own estimates. Instead, we focus on “heaping” and adding powder to milk, sometimes adding extra sugar. The company claims that “each serving of 20 gram Bournvita contains 7.5 grams of added sugar, which is almost one and a half teaspoons”.
A spokesperson for the company explained, “This is well below the daily recommended intake limit of sugar for children.” News18, But experts claim that it also contains “hidden sugar”, which takes the total sugar content to 73.1g in every 100g serving.
Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist of the World Health Organisation, tweeted that the hidden sugar in such products is increasing the incidence of diabetes even in low-income families.
The American Heart Association recommends that children and teens consume less than 25 grams, or six teaspoons, of added sugar per day. A similar estimate has been made by Britain’s health agency National Health Service (NHS). It states that children aged 7 to 10 should have no more than 24 grams, or six sugar cubes, a day, while children aged 4 to 6 should have no more than 19 grams, or five sugar cubes, a day. Should not be given
Malt-based beverages and health drinks
This is not the first time that the health benefits of a ‘malt-based’ drink have been questioned. In fact, a group called Nutrition Advocacy in the Public Interest (NAPI) continues to question the benefits on a regular basis. In 2018, it asked Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan to discontinue its association with another malt-based drink due to its high sugar content.
These drinks claim to be “unique” and a “scientific formula”. Bournvita is claimed to have an “inner strength formula” that can help develop brain, bones and muscles as well as strengthen immunity.
But experts agree that these drinks may not be the right supplement for children either. The Parental Guidance Booklet published in 2021 by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) recognizes that malt-based milk supplements are commonly used in India.
While the primary ingredient is malt, mostly a barley, or grain derivative, the secondary ingredient is always high in sugar. It is free sugar that becomes a matter of concern, as it is not only addictive and habit-forming substance but also leads to health problems like weight gain, tooth decay and risk of chronic lifestyle diseases .
These milk supplements belong to the ultra-processed food category and the IAP suggests that they “should be best avoided”.
The guidance manual states, “Advertising often portrays supplements as full of energy, vitamins and minerals.”
But the IAP clarified in the same booklet that the trace amounts of micronutrients in these drinks “may confer some benefit to children who are deficient” but “have no role in healthy children”.
The booklet states, “Even the same amount of vitamins and minerals to be provided can easily be obtained from other foods, which are not only cheap, but like these beverages have the same bad health associated with them.” Not even an effect.” “The improved calcium results clearly indicate that it was just the milk that was to blame.”
The document said it all.
Ads influence parents
The way products are advertised plays an important role in modifying the choice of parents.
Sample this: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that “nutritional supplements, such as PediaSure, should be used only when children are unable to obtain enough nutrients from their diets”.
one in study published in 2019The authors found that, despite the AAP’s recommendations, more than one-third of parents chose to include the product in an ideal feeding plan (IMP) for their child.
The study found, “This percentage increased dramatically as body mass index (BMI) increased, indicating that parents of children who fall into the overweight and obese categories recommended PediaSure for an ideal meal plan.” selected at a very high rate.”
This may be due to the popularity of dietary supplements widely advertised as “clinically proven to help children grow”, which may have convinced some parents not to consume nutritional supplements. Doing so could harm their baby.
What do the Indian guidelines recommend?
India has coined an acronym – ‘JUNCS’ for “junk foods, ultra-processed foods, nutritionally inappropriate foods, caffeinated, coloured, carbonated (food or beverages) and sugar-sweetened beverages”.
According to the IAP guidelines on ‘JUNCS’, their consumption is associated with higher free sugar and energy intake. It is also associated with higher BMI and possibly with adverse cardio-metabolic outcomes in children and adolescents.
The group’s recommendations, published in 2019, call for all children and adolescents to avoid JUNCS consumption, as far as possible, and limit their consumption to no more than “one serving per week”. In fact, guidelines recommend the consumption of regional and seasonal whole fruits over “fruit juice” in children.
No point in blaming Bournvita
The whole controversy started when an influencer deleted the viral reel on April 13 after receiving a legal notice from the company. In the video, which has been viewed by over 12 million people, Bournvita was said to contain sugar, cocoa solids and cancer. – Produces dyes.
In an email to Mondelez India, I requested “some scientific documents or peer-reviewed studies that were used to claim the health benefits mentioned on the pack of Bournvita”. The claims made on the packet are “active brain, strong muscles, strong bones and immune system”. I asked for evidence for each of these claims.
The reply given by the company was a standard statement, but I felt that Bournvita’s claims were supported by sufficient documents required to sell the product in India. While the company did not share any studies that could substantiate the claims backed by solid research, they did substantiate them in a few ways.
“We would like to emphasize again that a team of nutritionists and food scientists have scientifically designed the formulation to provide optimum taste and health,” the company said.
“All our claims are verified and transparent and all ingredients have regulatory approvals. All necessary nutritional information is mentioned on the pack for consumers to make an informed choice.
I also reached out to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), the watchdog on misleading advertisements, regarding the claims on Bournvita’s pack.
ASCI Chief Executive Officer and Secretary General Manisha Kapoor said this News18 Earlier in 2018, the organization had investigated a similar complaint against Bournvita.
“In 2018, ASCI investigated a complaint against Bournvita for claims related to muscle and bone strength and active brain,” he said, explaining that the company was able to meet the committee’s requirements.
The company told ASCI, “Bournvita is rich in Vitamin D and Phosphorus, both of which are essential for maintaining bone health. Bournvita is also rich in iron and other micronutrients, iodine, and vitamins B9 and B12, which are directly responsible for blood circulation and brain function. Due to the presence of these ingredients, Bournvita can make a helpful claim that it contains ingredients that help build muscles, bones and an active brain.”
That’s why all the controversy ends.
Root of the matter:
As child obesity rates continue to rise across the world, it is imperative that India starts building stronger food and advertising standards. Despite several discussions to bring health star ratings, food regulator FSSAI has not introduced a system to alert consumers to the extra calories associated with non-medically necessary use of nutritional supplements.
Dear mothers, instead of blaming Bournvita, it is time to change our mindset. We must recognize that a healthy diet in early childhood is essential for optimal development, while laying the foundation for later years and preventing chronic diseases in the future.
read all latest india news Here