India's Nutrition Crisis: Can Balanced Diets Truly Turn the Tide?

Health experts emphasized that adopting balanced diets () is crucial to addressing India's alarming nutrition crisis driven by unhealthy eating habits.

Unhealthy eating habits, including the consumption of processed foods high in salt, sugar, and fats, have become alarmingly prevalent, with the proliferation of fast-food chains and the easy availability of packaged snacks.

‘56.4% of India's disease burden linked to #poordiet, reveals ICMR-NIN report. 🤯 What does this mean for our health & future? #balanceddiet’

Abdominal Obesity More Prevalent Than Overall Obesity in India

"India faces a unique and alarming nutrition crisis, with abdominal obesity being more prevalent than overall obesity. More than 50 percent of the population suffers from diet-related disorders, including obesity, diabetes type 2, fatty liver, etc.," said Dr. Hemalatha R, ex-director of ICMR-NIN.

Hemalatha said this while delivering a keynote address at the 30th Continuing Medical Education (CME) seminar organised by the Physicians Association for Nutrition India (PAN India) in collaboration with Indian Medical Association (IMA) Bengaluru.Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) account for 66 percent of all mortality in the country. Unlike the much-developed Western world, where NCDs typically manifest later in life, India faces these diseases at a much younger age. Alarmingly, two-thirds of Indians with NCDs fall within the 26-59 age group, the most productive years of their lives. Most of it is due to unhealthy diet choices and other lifestyle practices.

This trend poses significant challenges not just to individual health but also to the nation's economic and social fabric. "Unhealthy diets account for over 56 percent of the country's disease burden, and the impact begins as early as foetal development, with pregnant women consuming processed foods and sugars risking their children's cognitive health," Hemalatha said.

"This underscores the urgent need to shift towards balanced diets rich in pulses, legumes, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, aligning with global recommendations to combat this alarming unhealthy diet," the expert added.

Dr. G. Rajendiran, MBBS, MD, DM (Cardiology), Prof & Head of Preventive Cardiology, PSGIMSR, Coimbatore Director-VR Heart health initiative, also emphasised the importance of whole food plant-based diet in prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases. This gains importance given the increasing prevalence and mortality despite the recent medical advances, she said.

Reference:

1. Eating a balanced diet - (https:www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/eating-a-balanced-diet/)

Source: IANS