Key Points
Unhealthy diet is responsible for 56.4 per cent of NCDs that include heart diseases, cancers, diabetes and hypertension..
The National Institute of Nutrition, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has recently released Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024, focusing on food groups rather than nutrients..
Reiterating that a balanced diet and physical activity can substantially reduce heart diseases, hypertension and check Type 2 diabetes by at least 80 per cent, these guidelines provide comprehensive and practical recommendations...
The guidelines recommend an ideal plate of 2,000 calories a day (1,200 in case of diet restriction), but consumption should be strictly based on individual requirements and parameters, including weight, age, gender, activity level, etc..
It should have various food groups, including vegetables (400 gm, also green leafy and root vegetables), fruits (100 gm), cereals (250 gm), pulses, eggs and meat (85 gm), nuts and seeds (35 gm), fats and oil (27 gm) and milk/curd/paneer (300 ml)...
