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6h ago

Nationwide ICMR Study Links India’s Carb-Heavy Diet to Higher Diabetes and Obesity Risk

Researchers say shifting 5% of calories from carbs to plant or dairy protein could cut metabolic risk.

White rice dominates diets in the southern, eastern and northeastern parts of the country while wheat is more common in the northern and central parts (Shutterstock)
Indians Get 62 Percent of Calories from Low-Quality Carbohydrates

Overview

  • Published in Nature Medicine on September 30, the analysis draws on a nationally representative survey of 121,077 adults across 36 states and union territories.
  • Indian diets supply about 62% of energy from carbohydrates and only 12% from protein, with saturated fat exceeding the <7% energy threshold in all but Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
  • Much of the carbohydrate intake comes from low-quality sources such as white rice, milled grains and added sugar, with at least 21 states and UTs above the recommended limit for added sugar intake.
  • Modelled isocaloric substitution indicates that replacing 5% of energy from carbohydrates with plant or dairy protein is associated with lower risk of diabetes and prediabetes, whereas replacing with red meat or fats did not show the same benefit.
  • Authors urge policy action through food subsidies and public messaging to rebalance diets, noting regional differences in staples and that millets are main staples in only three states.