CBSE Director writes to all school heads to establish ‘Oil boards’ and promote a healthy lifestyle among students

NEW DELHI: The Central Board of School Education (CBSE) Director on Tuesday wrote a letter to all the Heads of Schools affiliated to CBSE to establish ‘Oil boards’ in schools and promote a healthy lifestyle among students. This is in continuation of the earlier Circular dated 14 May 2025, which was regarding the Sugar Boards.

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.

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”.

In view of the above, it was directed that all schools must sensitise their students and staff by: Installing Oil Board displays in common areas to raise awareness on harmful consumption, printing health messages on all official stationery and publications to reinforce daily reminders on fighting obesity, and promoting healthy meals and physical activity in schools through availability of nutritious, healthier food options (more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat options, and by limiting availability of sugary drinks and high-fat snacks) and activity initiatives (such as encouraging use of stairs, organizing short exercise breaks, and facilitating walking routes).

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.

In March of this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the issue of obesity and urged people to reduce their consumption of cooking oil by 10%. The Prime Minister urged everyone to take proactive steps to “reduce obesity” and emphasized the importance of reducing the consumption of cooking oil by 10 per cent each month, 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.

PM Modi emphasised, “India is committed to achieving the vision of a developed nation. Only a healthy nation can achieve such a goal,” He also encouraged the inclusion of regular physical activity, like walking a few kilometers daily, to maintain a healthy lifestyle and prevent obesity. (ANI)