What is the CBSE Oil Boards Initiative?
The CBSE Oil Board initiative is the latest in line of the health related campaigns being introduced by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). This is to promote health awareness in students. All CBSE-affiliated schools must display oil boards in various parts of their school. These boards show the type of oil being used and key health details like saturated fat and trans fat content.
The goal is simple. It is to create awareness about oils and reduce the risk of obesity and lifestyle-related diseases among students.
Why Did CBSE Introduce Oil Boards?
India is facing an increase in childhood obesity. NFHS-5 data shows that more children today are overweight compared to a decade ago. Reports like the Lancet GBD 2021 obesity forecast predict this trend will grow if unhealthy eating habits continue. One major issue is the use of oils high in trans fats and saturated fats in school food. These increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and poor health in later years. To address this, CBSE partnered with FSSAI to set up guidelines that focus on healthy eating in schools. Oil boards are part of these guidelines.
What Do CBSE Oil Boards Include?
An oil board is a simple display board either digital or static, placed in a school’s common areas to raise awareness on harmful consumption, health messages to reinforce daily reminders on fighting obesity. They will also display healthier food alternatives and physical activity initiatives. This small step will make a big difference. It will inform students, teachers, and vendors about healthy choices every day.
How Does It Help Students?
Poor eating habits affect more than just physical health, they also affect energy levels and concentration. When students see these oil boards daily, they will understand why certain food alternatives are better than other items. With time, it builds the habit of checking nutrition labels and making informed choices. Oil boards along with other health related initiatives by the school, help in childhood obesity prevention and overall well-being.
How to Use CBSE Oil Boards in Schools
- Install Oil Board Displays: Put digital or static posters in areas such as cafeterias, lobbies, meeting rooms, and other common areas to raise awareness about harmful oil consumption.
- Print Health Messages on School Stationery: Add short health messages on letterheads, envelopes, notepads, folders etc. to keep the message visible every day.
- Promote Healthy Meals and Physical Activity
- Offer nutritious options in canteens (more fruits, vegetables, low-fat options).
- Limit availability of sugary drinks and high-fat snacks like chips.
- Encourage movement through stair use, exercise breaks, and walking routes in school.
- Encourage creativity: Let students help design oil boards as a class activity. It makes the initiative engaging for students.
- Use Official Resources
Access FSSAI IEC materials (posters, videos) from the official YouTube channel and contact iec@fssai.gov.in for guidance.
Oil Boards vs Sugar Boards: How They Work Together
Earlier, CBSE introduced Sugar Boards to remind everyone in schools about the health risks linked to excess sugar. These boards made a simple point visible every day i.e. too much sugar can harm your health.
The new Oil Boards build on that idea, focusing on oils used in food. They are encouraging conversations around making better choices when it comes to food. While sugar boards encourage limiting sugary drinks and snacks, oil boards draw attention to the role of oils in our diet.
With these initiatives, CBSE is creating a school environment where healthy habits are more than a discussion in classrooms.
Benefits of CBSE Oil Boards
The CBSE Oil Boards initiative makes health messages part of everyday school life. When students see these boards in common spaces, the idea of healthy living becomes real, not just a chapter in a book. It changes the way schools talk about health. Instead of a one-time session, the message stays visible all day. This constant reminder can influence small choices like what to eat, how much to move, why good habits matter etc.
Students can also help design these boards. When they create something themselves, they remember the message better. With health tips on school stationery, the reminder goes beyond classrooms and into daily routines. These simple steps build a school culture where well-being is visible, practical, and part of the environment.
FAQs about CBSE Oil Boards
Q1. Why are oil boards mandatory?
They are mandatory because they create awareness and help schools follow CBSE’s health guidelines.
Q2. What should the oil board show?
It should display health messages about safe oil use and healthy lifestyle choices.
Q3. Is this a rule for all CBSE schools?
Yes, all CBSE-affiliated schools have to follow this.
Q4. How does this prevent obesity?
It encourages schools and students to make healthier food choices every day.
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