Unhealthy dietary habits contribute to disease burden in country: Director
Media delegation from J&K visits National Institute of Nutrition
SANJAY SHARMA
HYDERABAD/JAMMU: A group of 14 media professionals from Jammu and Kashmir, led by Tariq Rather, Deputy Director of PIB Srinagar, embarked on a five-day media tour in Telangana, from October 21 to 25, 2024. The tour is organized under the Central Sector Scheme ‘Development Communication & Information Dissemination’ by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Jammu & Kashmir.
On the second day of the tour, the media delegation visited the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) in Hyderabad. NIN, a premier nutrition research institute under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, is dedicated to addressing India’s critical nutrition and health challenges. Its multi-disciplinary scientific and technical teams work relentlessly to provide evidence-based inputs on nutrition, dietary habits, and the nutritional status of the Indian population. Dr. Santasabuj Das, the Director-Incharge of ICMR-NIN, welcomed the delegation and shared insights into the institute’s efforts in tackling malnutrition and its broader implications. He highlighted that nutrition is a key environmental factor that significantly influences the risk and outcomes of numerous communicable and non-communicable diseases in India. Unhealthy dietary habits, he noted, contribute to more than half of the disease burden in India, particularly in relation to coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Dr. Das also emphasized the economic costs of poor nutrition, which lead to premature deaths, overburdened health systems, and hampered economic progress. He stressed that good nutrition goes beyond individual health, benefiting families and communities at large. Senior scientists from NIN, including Dr. Subbarao, Dr. M. Maheshwar, Dr. G. Bhanuprakash Reddy, and Dr. J. J. Babu, shared valuable insights into the institute’s ongoing research and initiatives.
Talking to Sanjay Sharma, Senior Reporter, State Times-a leading English newspaper in J&K, one of the Scientist of NIN said, “With upsurge in the consumption of highly processed foods laden with sugars and fats, coupled with reduced physical activity and limited access to diverse food, exacerbate micronutrients defeciancy and overweight/ obesity problems. Aggressive advertising and marketing of these unhealthy foods through different media channels, including social media, are seen to influence dietary preferences among both children and adults, leading to detrimental long-term effects.”
Scientists said, “NIN conducts research to evaluate and reduce the prevalence of undernutrition, especially among vulnerable population groups like children and pregnant women. The institute focuses on combating iodine deficiency, anaemia, and other micronutrient deficiencies, which remain significant public health concerns in India.”
“NIN develops and tests various community-based models to prevent and control malnutrition by conducting effectiveness trials. These interventions are designed to be scalable and applicable across different demographic groups in India,” they added. Speaking of NIN’s activities in Ladakh, they said, “A notable project known as the Diet and Biomarker Survey in India (DABS-I), a study conducted by NIN in Ladakh. This mission-mode project aimed to analyze the dietary habits, food recipes, and anaemia prevalence in the region.” “Ladakh, with its unique geography and dietary practices, presents specific challenges related to malnutrition. The DABS-I study provided valuable insights into the nutritional status of various demographics in Ladakh, including the consumption patterns of food and nutrient intake. The research highlighted nutrient deficiencies prevalent in the region, and the scientists discussed how these findings can help tailor interventions to improve the health outcomes of Ladakh’s population,” they added. “The NIN team also introduced the Nutrify India Now 2.0 app, a free lifestyle app developed for Android devices. The app serves as a personal health assistant, designed to monitor an individual’s nutrition, physical activity, and overall well-being,” scientists said. Highlighting key features of the app, they said it is providing essential information about the nutrient composition of food items and their daily requirements besides allowing users to assess their nutritional status based on their daily food intake and Required Dietary Allowance (RDA). During their visit, the media professionals were given a tour of various research labs at NIN. The scientists explained the process of analyzing dietary products, including the assessment of nutrient content and safety. These labs play a crucial role in supporting NIN’s mission to provide high-quality, evidence-based data for tackling malnutrition and improving public health outcomes in India. Shivacharan Reddy from PIB Hyderabad and other officials accompanied the Media delegation. Journalists later visited Salar Jung Museum Hyderabad. The most scintillating attraction was the Double Statue of Wood featuring Mephistopheles and his love, Margaretta, who could be seen in the mirror and the famous chiming clock. The museum segregated neatly into two floors and three distinct galleries – Indian, Eastern and Western – the grandeur hasn’t faded. The hallways were lined with frozen glimpses from the life of Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Bahadur Salar Jung III, an art connoisseur and collector, the man we should thank, for the marvel that is the museum filled with wonders from around the world – Sino-Japanese art objects, European art and furniture, Indian sculptures in stone and bronze, jade and ivory carvings, Persian, Syrian and Egyptian artefacts and paintings, lacquerware, porcelainware, embroidery, textiles and toys, some more than a dozen centuries old.
