On food labeling and misleading claims, weight-loss drugs, climate change, rabies, cancer treatment and more
(In the weekly Health matters newsletter, Ramya Kannan writes about how to get into good health and stay there. You can sign up here to receive the newsletter in your inbox.)
Last week, as in the previous week, the country remains concerned about food labeling. When the Supreme Court presented the packaged food labeling The issue came up again a couple of weeks ago and was firmly and firmly dragged onto the public platform. There was great interest in the Indian Food Safety and Standards Association’s recommendations on front-of-pack labeling, as well as discussions on the merits of the case.
What are the standards that FSSAI promises to meet for packaged food products in India? We looked long and carefully.
To get an idea of what FSSAI’s initial vision for labeling was, watch this conversation between Zubeda Hamid and me; we also highlight trends around the world in our Sunday edition Health wrap video. While it is clear that some standards have begun to take effect in this completely unregulated sector, there are questions about the caveats in the proposed guidelines. FSSAI has proposed that the warning initially cover foods high in two or more of the three “nutrients of concern” – added sugar, saturated fat and salt – as well as certain heavily sweetened beverages. Activists see the “two or more” classification as problematic.
For a more detailed explanation of what The red hexagon on the snack packaging means read that Bindu Shajan Perappadan wrote. FSSAI has proposed a two-phase implementation. In the first phase, foods high in at least two of the three nutrients will be marked with a red hexagon, as will certain heavily sweetened drinks. In the second phase, the warning will extend to foods high in any of the three nutrients. However, FSSAI has not given an exact timeline for moving to the second phase. The FSSAI proposal concerns added sugar and saturated fat rather than total sugar and total fat. The plan is to exclude single-ingredient foods and foods rich in these nutrients, including ghee, edible oil, jaggery and honey.
Meanwhile, Soibam Rocky Singh explains why the Central Consumer Protection Authority is cracking down on ‘100%’ of food claims. Such claims may give consumers an impression of absolute purity or completeness that may not reflect what is actually inside the package. FSSAI has also asked food processors to stop using ‘100%’ claims on labels, packaging and promotional materials of food products.
Here, Prabalika M. Bora explores the hype around Profee: protein + coffee, and here are the highlights of the ICMR-NIN study that shows vitamin D3 is superior to D2 in supporting muscles and the heart.
Closer to the topic of nutrition weight loss drugs. A recent study found that GLP-1 weight loss medications are effective even at low initial doses and have fewer side effects. Another study in the United States found that more children under 12 years of age in the United States were being prescribed weight-loss drugs. Since 2019, prescriptions for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs among children under 12 years of age in the United States have increased more than 300-fold.
Here is a controlled experiment of a fitness trainer taking a GLP 1 course and recording minute-long observations throughout the course. Arvind Ashok writes: ‘I’m a fitness trainer. I tried the GLP-1 drug for three weeks, warning readers not to try the same at home without a prescription.
Climate change will also never be more than one step away from you. It has dominated the headlines periodically and is likely to do so even more often in the future. Jacob Koshy writes: Global warming will exceed limits, says a UN report, which outlines a path back beyond the danger zone. UNEP’s detailed “overshoot, peak and decline” plan aims to keep the peak as low as possible and then bring temperatures back below the 1.5°C limit; The report called it “the best remaining option.”
Another new study highlights the vital role of air conditioning, but points out that it comes at a cost. Read this story for the full story: Staying cool saves thousands of lives every year, but at the cost of worsening global warming, experts say.
Regarding rabies, there has been some interesting news in the region. I document how Bhutan is leading Southeast Asia in eliminating rabies as a public health problem. The WHO also confirmed Bhutan’s claim and explained that this was achieved through the conscious adoption of the One Health approach, which provided some key lessons to neighboring India as well.
Meanwhile, authorities are investigating a “fake” rabies vaccine, and a batch of counterfeit Abhairab rabies vaccine remains under investigation. Why is this important? With rabies, the probability of error is extremely small. A real, powerful vaccine, given in a timely manner, can prevent a fatal disease; a counterfeit product can create a dangerous illusion that protection is provided.
On dogs going into Cancer, this week we had an interesting article about Can dogs smell cancer? Bengaluru-based startup Dognosis uses artificial intelligence to analyze dogs’ brain activity, breathing and body language, turning their scent responses into data. Click on the link to find out more.
Dr. Jayant Reddy meanwhile, wrote about how transplant oncology is rewriting the history of liver cancer and why surgeons, instead of trying to cut cancer out of the liver, remove the entire diseased liver and replace it with a healthy one.
The In Focus podcast has a discussion with Dr. Narayana Subramanian O “vaccines” against cancer and whether they will revolutionize treatment. What are these new treatments and what cancer do they treat? Why are they called vaccines when they don’t actually prevent cancer? How does mRNA technology work and how does AI help with this? Will these personalized treatments be available in India anytime soon and how expensive will they be?
And just a little more, check out the links to this week’s health stories that changed the world in their own way:
Atira Elsa Johnson talks to experts and clarifies: not all types of dementia cause memory loss: what happens when it appears early
K. Maya highlights an important trend: the disappearance of fear of HIV brings attention to the rising risk of STIs among youth in Keralam.
Sumit Bhattacharjee explains why people got sick after administering chloroquine in Andhra Pradesh
As we come to the end of Eye Donation Awareness Week, here is an article from Dr. Mohan Rajan And Dr. Sujata Mohan on Eye Donation in India: Current Scenario and Way Forward
Try our Health test for the week: About your eyes and their health
Swaminathan S. The first step towards creating a universal vaccine against pneumonia and meningitis
Dr. Shakib Ahmed Khan And Dr. Christianes Ratna Kiruba ask if affordable rehabilitation is available to everyone, especially after leaving hospital
Dr. K. Aravinda advises that when child sexual abuse occurs, the focus should be on healing for the victim.
Did you know that Dolly Parton not only dazzled on stage, but also wowed the healthcare world with significant donations: Jolene, vaccine research and cancer research are Dolly Parton’s enduring scientific legacy.
India’s 40-crore ‘missing middle’: stuck between weak government healthcare and costly private healthcare
Researchers at IIT Madras and CMC Vellore are building artificial intelligence tools for early detection of kidney diseases
Tamil Nadu and Kerala have notably taken women’s health out of the trash bin. Read the edit here.
There is of course much more on offer, check out our health page and sign up for our health newsletter here.
Published – September 8, 2026 4:51 pm EST.