ICMR releases Dietary Guidelines for Indians

The Indian Council of Medical Research on Wednesday released “Dietary Guidelines for Indians (DGIs)”, an evidence-based food and lifestyle related recommendations designed for ensuring diet diversity to meet the requirements of essential nutrients and prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among people of all age groups across the country.

Releasing the guidelines, Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director General, ICMR, said, “The dietary habits of Indians have undergone significant changes over the past few decades, leading to an increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases while some of the problems of under-nutrition continue to persist. These guidelines have been made very relevant to the changing food scenario in India with addition of practicable messages and suggestions on handling food safety, choosing minimally processed foods, importance of food labels and physical activity”, said Dr Rajiv Bahl.

The Dietary Guidelines for Indians has been developed by nutrition research institute ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad. Drafted by a multi-disciplinary committee of experts under the leadership of Dr. Hemalatha R, Director, ICMR-NIN, the DGIs present 17 guidelines as brief illustrative chapters in the book. The ICMR-NIN recommends the ‘Dietary Allowances and Nutrient Requirements’ for Indians and revises them from time-to-time based on the emerging scientific evidence and the changing food landscape.