Sri Lanka

Action Plan for 2021-2025: National program for promotion of physical activity

Sri Lanka aims to achieve a 10% relative reduction in the prevalence of insufficient physical activity by year 2025. This action plan outlines the agenda of the Directorate of NCD, Ministry of Health for the years 2021 to 2025 to achieve this target.

National Nutrition Policy of Sri Lanka 2021–2030

The policy has a number of targets, the ones related to overweight and obesity being: 1) No increase in overweight among children under five years of age from the baseline of 0.6% (NS- MRI, 2012) by 2030. 2) No increase in overweight and obesity among adolescents from the baseline of 7.6% and 2.2% respectively (NS-MRI,2018) by 2030. 3) Prevalence of overweight among adults and elderly (18-69 years) reduced from 29.3% (STEPS, 2015) to 15% and obesity further reduced from 5.9% by 2030

Colour coding for sugar, salt and fat

Government regulations on colour labelling foods containing specified levels or sugar, salt or fat. Available in English, Sinhala & Tamil language

Prevention of Overweight and Obesity among School Children in Sri Lanka

This guide discusses in details the intermediate and long-term effects of unhealthy food habits and sedentary life styles. It also provides a lengthy description of age appropriate healthy foods and physical exercise. The ultimate aim of this guide is to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases among our emerging young adult population and thereby improve their quality of life as well as their personal expectations. Healthy lifestyles is also an essential element of happy and peaceful families

NCD Country Profiles 2018 (Obesity Targets)

The profiles also provide data on the key metabolic risk factors, namely raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose and obesity and National Targets on Obesity (as of 2017)

Sri Lanka sugar levy

Sri Lanka imposed a sugar levy in 2017, which appears to have been reduced due to pressure from industry

Guidelines for a Healthy Canteen in the Workplace

This guidance aims to create an environment that will encourage healthy lifestyles by promoting healthy food and drink in workplace canteens.

Food based dietary guidelines for Sri Lankans

Food (Labelling and Advertising) Regulations 2005 - 1376/9

Government regulation 2005. Available in Sinhala, English & Tamil language

GNPR 2016-17 (q7) Breastfeeeding promotion and/or counselling

WHO Global Nutrition Policy Review 2016-2017 reported the evidence of breastfeeding promotion and/or counselling (q7)

Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes: National Implementation of the International Code Status Report 2016 (Promotion of Breastfeeding)

The 2016 report provides information on the status of implementing the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions (“the Code”) in and by countries. The report also identifies in which countries they actively promote the benefits of breastfeeding.