Sugar Boards in Schools: Why They Matter & How to Use Them

Despite increased attention to child health, sugar consumption among Indian school children remains worryingly high. Recent studies indicate that children aged 4-10 derive roughly 13% of their daily energy from sugar, and those aged 11-18 about 15%, well above the recommended limit of around 5%. This prompted the CBSE to ask schools to set up sugar boards in schools to educate students and families.

What are Sugar Boards?

Sugar boards are simple, visually engaging display panels placed in school spaces, such as canteens, corridors, or assembly halls. These displays show how much sugar is present in everyday foods and drinks, usually measured in teaspoons. They include daily recommended limits, the sugar content of common canteen items, examples of “hidden” sugar ingredients, and colour-coded guidance for quick scanning. The boards are intended as ongoing food literacy prompts: short, repeatable nudges that help children and parents make healthier choices.

Why Do Schools Need Sugar Boards?

Below are the primary reasons schools should adopt sugar boards, explained with context and evidence.

1. Rising Health Concerns

   Childhood overweight, obesity, and early-onset Type 2 diabetes are on the rise in India and globally. UNICEF reports growing overweight trends in children and adolescents, linking these changes to unhealthy food environments and greater availability of ultra-processed, sugar-rich products. This is a public health problem that starts in childhood and follows into adulthood.

2. Excessive Sugar Consumption

   Recent reporting of paediatric data and expert reviews suggests children in India consume sugar above recommended limits, often many teaspoons above the WHO-recommended threshold. This excessive intake is driven by sugary drinks, packaged juices, sweet snacks, and hidden sugars in processed foods.

3. Easy Access to Unhealthy Food

   Canteens, street vendors, and packaged snacks make high-sugar options the default convenience choice for many children. Schools are uniquely placed to change that default by educating students and managing on-campus food options.

4. Lack of Awareness

   Sugar boards in schools are less focused on restriction and more on food literacy. When students see how many teaspoons of sugar are in a familiar drink or snack, the shock factor helps behaviour change much more effectively than abstract health warnings.

5. Aligning With NEP 2020

   NEP 2020 emphasises holistic child development, health education, and school-based interventions. Sugar boards are a low-cost, scalable way to align school health practice with these priorities and the CBSE directives, which support school health literacy.

Learn More About NEP (National Education Policy) 2020

How to Use Sugar Boards in Schools

• Strategic Placement: These boards should go where students gather, like canteens, assembly halls, and playground entrances, so that they see the messages repeatedly.
• Curriculum Integration: Teachers can link these boards to health lessons, assemblies, and workshops so the messages reinforce classroom learning.
• Parent Engagement: Schools can use PTA meetings, WhatsApp groups, and newsletters to share sugar-board facts and encourage healthy lunchboxes at home.
• Monitoring & Accountability: Under recent CBSE guidance, schools upload photos and brief activity reports to demonstrate implementation and awareness efforts.

What to Display on Sugar Boards in Schools?

A well-designed sugar board in school keeps information simple, visual, and easy for students to understand. Instead of using complex nutritional figures, the board should focus on clear comparisons and familiar examples. Schools can include elements such as:

• Recommended Daily Sugar Limits: Clear, age-appropriate guidance that parents and children can follow.
• Hidden Sugar Awareness: How everyday products can contain unexpected amounts of sugar and how to read labels. You can also add a list of examples of hidden sugar ingredients.
• Colour-Coded Categories: A simple green/yellow/red system helps children understand which foods are okay daily, which are okay sometimes, and which should be occasional treats.
• Health Risks: Short, relatable facts linking excessive sugar to health risks like weight gain, reduced energy, dental cavities, and long-term risk of Type 2 diabetes.
• Healthy Substitutes: Practical alternatives such as fruit, yoghurt, nuts, or plain milk with flavouring via cardamom/cocoa at home.

How to Involve Parents in This Process

Teachers are central to turning school messages into household behaviour. Here’s how teachers can involve parents in this process:

• Parent Orientation: Run short sessions during PTAs to show the sugar board in the school, explain risks, and model healthy lunchbox ideas.
• Sugar Diary at Home: Encourage students to try a one-week “sugar diary” with a simple checklist or photo log of beverages and snacks, and then have a short 5-minute discussion in class about the findings.
• Monthly Nutrition Challenge: Set friendly challenges such as “no junk food for a week” or “five days of fruit lunchbox”.

Conclusion

Sugar boards in school are a practical, low-cost intervention that helps students see, understand, and reduce their sugar intake. By converting abstract health guidance into visible, relatable comparisons, schools can shift food habits day by day. When combined with parental engagement, canteen policy changes, and curriculum-backed health lessons, sugar boards become part of a sustainable approach to nurturing healthier, more informed children!

Last Updated on December 17, 2025

Reviewed by

Priya Kapoor | AVP - Academics

Priya Kapoor is an accomplished education professional with over 18 years of experience across diverse fields, including eLearning, digital and print publishing, instructional design, and content strategy. As the AVP – Academics at Extramarks, she leads academic teams in creating tailored educational solutions, ensuring alignment with varied curricula across national and international platforms...read more.