As reported by Vesty.co.il, since March 2018 in Israel will begin to label food products with an increased content of substances that potentially lead to obesity.
The program will be implemented in several stages - on the basis of recommendations submitted by a special commission of experts in the field of dietetics, epidemiology and health economics.
At the first stage, which is scheduled to begin in March 2018, red labels on the front of the package will mark products containing more than 800 milligrams of sodium, 22.5 grams of sugar and 6 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams of product.
In the second stage, which will be started in July 2019, it is planned to tighten the red marking indicators: the amount of sodium in solid products - up to 500 mg, sugar - up to 15 g and saturated fat - up to 5 g.
It is expected that the program will be completed in December 2020, when the red label will receive products in which the sodium content per 100 grams will be 400 mg, sugar 10 g and saturated fat 4 g.
21% of first-graders are obese
As part of the presentation of the program in the Knesset, the Ministry of Health published data on overweight and obesity among children in schools.
According to the Ministry of Health statistics, 21% of first-grade students in secular schools are overweight or obese; in state-religious schools - about 17.5% and about 12.8% in the ultra-orthodox sector; 19.1% in the schools of the Arab sector and 11.5% in the Bedouin sector.
In the seventh grade, the situation is even worse: in secular schools, 17.7% of students are overweight and 11% are obese; in public-religious schools 16.5% are overweight and 11% are obese; in schools haredi 14.4% are overweight and 9% are obese; in the schools of the Arab sector, 19% are overweight and 17.5% are obese, and in the Bedouin sector 16.5% are overweight and 10.6% are obese.
Minister of Health Yaakov Litsman called these figures very worrying. "Children of Israel have a serious problem with obesity, and it's just unhealthy for them, and for parents and the state." We are obliged to stop the increased consumption of sugar and fats that harm all of us. "
