Regulator plans to cut sugar levels further in bid to curb obesity, diabetes rates in India

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is considering new rules to reduce the amount of sugar added to foods for toddlers and babies aged 6 to 24 months. The move, which could affect popular products such as infant cereals and milk formulae, is part of an effort to fight the country’s rising rates of obesity and diabetes.

Currently, these products contain sugar within legally permitted limits, but the food regulator says it’s time for even more drastic steps.

As per the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21), the percentage of children under 5 years who are overweight (weight-for-height) increased to 3.4 percent from 2.1 percent in NFHS-4 (2015-16). The survey showed 24% of women and 23% of men are overweight or obese.

The proposal would build on current norms that ban added sugar in food for the youngest babies – from birth to 6 months. If approved, the new rules would mark a significant step toward ensuring healthier food options for the country’s youngest children.

“The matter of reducing sugar in baby food for those 6 to 24 months of age was discussed at a meeting last week with experts from FSSAI, the health ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research. Even ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition dietary guidelines do not recommend sugar for children up to 2 years. The matter has been kept for wider consideration and will be taken up in the next meeting,” an official familiar with the matter said.

The baby food market in India, valued at $1.16 billion in 2024, is projected to grow to $1.98 billion by 2030, according to MarkNtel Advisors, driven by growing urbanization, more working mothers and increased parental awareness of nutrition.

Push for healthier habits

FSSAI’s 2020 regulations for infant nutrition mandate that lactose and glucose polymers as the primary carbohydrates in baby food. Sucrose and fructose are strongly discouraged and cannot exceed 20% of the total carbohydrates, a rule aimed at limiting added sugars.

The regulator’s initiative to reduce sugar in baby food is part of a larger public health campaign. A recent study in The Lancet projected that India could have the world’s second-highest obesity burden by 2035, with 449 million overweight and obese people.

The FSSAI also considered a report from a Swiss non-profit that found added sugar in a popular baby product, highlighting the need for stricter regulations.

“The regulator is taking its role seriously by examining the ingredients in baby foods and pushing for even better standards. A decision on the new rules is expected soon,” said a second person aware of the matter.

The FSSAI regularly tests and samples infant food products. During an enforcement drive in 2024, it found that five of 99 samples tested were deemed unsafe.

Doctors weigh in

Medical experts support the proposal. Dr. Nishant Wadhwa, a senior pediatrician at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, explained that babies and toddlers are not equipped to handle large amounts of sugar.

“The body is not naturally inclined or trained to handle sugar surge even for adults,” he said. “When babies consume too much sugar, their bodies can’t process it and the excess is stored as fat. This can lead to serious health issues such as early-onset fatty liver disease.”

Dr. Wadhwa emphasized that babies don’t need any extra sugar.

“The sugar which the baby is actually taking in mother’s milk is lactose,” he explained, adding that added sugars like sucrose and fructose should be totally avoidable. He advised parents to provide home-cooked food rather than packaged cereal-based pre-mixed products.

Industry and expert support

The International Pediatric Association (IPA) viewed the FSSAI’s initiative as a positive step.

Dr. Naveen Thacker, the IPA’s executive director, said, “It is a welcome move by FSSAI to reduce the sugar limit in food for babies aged 6 to 24 months.”

He encouraged breastfeeding for babies and toddlers up to two years old and stressed that the IPA does not promote formula milk or packaged cereal-based food or pre-mixes unless absolutely necessary.

ICMR experts emphasized that reducing sugar in baby food is crucial as babies and toddlers don’t need sugar.

“The focus is on limiting extra sweetness, not natural sugars like lactose. A taste for sugar is learned early in life. If children get used to very sweet foods, they are more likely to crave sugar as they get older, which can lead to health problems. The ICMR’s dietary guidelines recommend that children under 2 don’t need any added sugar at all. These guidelines also recommend that adults limit sugar intake to no more than 25 grams per day, or about 5% of a 2,000-calorie diet,” said an ICMR scientist.

Last year, reports claimed Nestle’s products in South Asia (including India), Africa and Latin America contained significantly higher sugar levels than those in Europe.

“We adhere to all existing regulations, ensuring that none of our infant formula and milk products for infants and young children contain added refined sugar. We reduced added sugar in Cerelac by up to 30% in the last five years and recently introduced a new Cerelac range with ‘no refined sugar’ option,” a Nestle India spokesperson said.

Queries by the union health ministry spokesperson, FSSAI and popular baby food brands like Slurrp Farm, Amul on and Abbott remained unanswered till press time.