ICMR Dietary Guidelines 2024
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) have issued dietary recommendations to address malnutrition and diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases in the nation, while advocating for healthy eating habits and lifestyles.
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 undernutrition continue to persist.
ICMR Dietary Guidelines 2024 for Indians
- These DGIs offer the most logical, sustainable, and long-term solution to all forms of malnutrition and help ensure the availability, accessibility, and affordability of nutrient-rich foods while promoting the consumption of diverse foods.”
- The guidelines emphasize the importance of consuming a balanced diet and embracing a healthy lifestyle to prevent obesity. They also highlight the significance of regular exercise, reducing the intake of ultra-processed foods, and checking food labels for making informed and healthy choices.
- According to the guidelines, for a 2000 kcal intake a day, people should eat about 250 grams of cereals, 400 grams of vegetables, 100 grams of fruits, 85 grams of pulses/eggs/flesh foods, 35 grams of nuts and seeds, and 27 grams of fat/oils, as per ICMR.
- ICMR recommended sourcing macronutrients and micronutrients from a minimum of eight groups of foods. It stated that the intake of cereals should be restricted to 45 percent of the total energy, which is currently as much as 50 to 70 percent.
