1 Diet Mistake in India Revealed! Shocking Report Says You’re Eating Wrong

CONTENTS: 1 Diet Mistake in India Revealed

• Unhealthy food up, malnutrition rises
• Unhealthy up, fruits & veg down
• Malnutrition up, processed food surge
• Dual burden malnutrition
• Healthy food expensive, junk food cheap
• Focus on carbs, not healthy diets (India)

Unhealthy food up, malnutrition rises

1 Diet Mistake in India Revealed

At least 38% of the Indian population consumes unhealthy foods, while only 28% include all five recommended food groups in their diet, which comprise at least one starchy staple, one vegetable, one fruit, one pulse, nut or seed, and one animal-source food.

Emerging dietary trends in India reveal that the intake of calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods is not only high but also increasing, whereas the consumption of vegetables and other micronutrient-rich foods remains low. In India and other South Asian countries, there is a rising trend in the consumption of processed foods such as chocolates, sugary confections, salty snacks, beverages, convenience foods, and breakfast cereals. Following cereals and milk, snacks and prepared foods constitute a significant portion of Indian food expenditures.

In India, the proportion of people suffering from malnutrition rose from 15.4% in 2011 to 16.6% in 2021, indicating that nearly 17% of the population’s regular diet fails to meet the dietary energy levels necessary for an active and healthy life.

The prevalence of overweight adults increased from 12.9% in 2006 to 16.4% in 2016.

Data analysis from a large nationally representative panel of households, as cited in the report, shows that India’s total annual household expenditure on paid meals consumed outside the home rose from Rs 619 billion ($8.8 billion) in 2015 to Rs 820 billion ($11.6 billion) in 2019, marking a real-term increase of about $3 billion.

During this same period, the share of household food budgets spent on packaged, highly processed, and calorie-dense foods nearly doubled from 6.5% to 12%. Wealthier households allocated a larger portion of their food budgets to processed foods. However, it remains unclear whether this increased spending on prepared and ultra-processed foods is displacing the consumption of healthier options like fruits and vegetables.

The report emphasized that many countries are grappling with a dual burden of malnutrition, where undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies coexist alongside overweight, obesity, or diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among individuals, households, and communities across all stages of life.

It’s estimated that over two billion people, particularly in Africa and South Asia, lack the financial means to afford a nutritious diet. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, more than half of children under five years old and two-thirds of adult women suffer from micronutrient deficiencies.

This dual burden has led to a rise in undernutrition (including stunting and wasting) and micronutrient deficiencies alongside an increase in overweight, obesity, and associated NCDs, particularly in South Asian countries like India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

The report highlighted that in the South Asian region, micronutrient-rich foods tend to be expensive, while cereals, fats and oils, sugar, and sugary and salty snacks are relatively cheap.

South Asia exhibits the highest cost premium, meaning there’s a considerable additional cost for achieving a nutrient-adequate diet compared to obtaining enough calories from the cheapest sources.

For instance, dark green leafy vegetables and vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables are 22 times more expensive per calorie than starchy staples and twice as costly per calorie as sugary and salty snacks. Additionally, calories from fats and oils and sugar are even cheaper than those from staples in countries like India.

Recently, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) released dietary guidelines cautioning against misleading information on packaged foods. Among the 17 dietary guidelines, the ICMR urged consumers to scrutinize food labels for making informed and healthy choices. It also recommended reducing the intake of high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, and ultra-processed foods.

Focus on carbs, not healthy diets (India)

1 Diet Mistake in India Revealed

In South Asia, as in many other developing regions, agricultural and food policies predominantly focus on ensuring the affordability of starchy staples rather than promoting the diverse diets necessary for long-term health. For instance, rice, wheat, and sugarcane growers in India benefit from price guarantees, while rice farmers in Sri Lanka receive subsidized fertilizers.

This bias also reflects in public investments in agricultural research and development, which have largely concentrated on enhancing the productivity of rice and wheat, while neglecting coarse grains and pulses.

Authored by 41 researchers from IFPRI and various partner organizations, the report advocates for urgent and concerted actions to overhaul global food systems to ensure equitable access to sustainable, healthy diets for all.

Johan Swinnen, Director General of IFPRI and Managing Director of the CGIAR Systems Transformation for Global Agricultural Innovation Network, emphasized the 2024 GFPR’s role in highlighting the need to prioritize sustainable, healthy diets as fundamental to public health and sustainable development.

Experts emphasized the importance of prioritizing diet improvement as a crucial starting point for addressing all forms of malnutrition and diet-related noncommunicable diseases.

Deanna Olney, Director of IFPRI’s Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit and the lead author of the report, highlighted evidence suggesting that poor-quality diets are the primary cause of global disease burden and that enhancing diets could potentially save one in five lives.