What can help reduce metabolic diseases in India?

It's no secret that carbs dominate the Indian meal plate, regardless of the region. The ill effects of this have also been reflected in our health and disease patterns from time to time. Recently, a study by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found that 62 per cent of India's total energy consumption comes from low-quality carbohydrates, such as processed whole grains and white rice. They also found high usage of saturated fat and low protein consumption in our diet pattern. 

Diabetes and obesity risks
Approximately one-quarter of the world's diabetics reside in India. According to the data published in the Nature Medicine journal, those with the highest intake of carbs could be at a 30 per cent higher chance of developing diabetes, 22 per cent obesity and 15 per cent abdominal obesity, compared to the lowest intake. Furthermore, replacing refined cereals—products made from grains such as wheat, rice, or corn—with whole wheat or millet flour, without lowering one's overall carbohydrate intake, was also not associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

The study
The ICMR-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study was the basis of this research, alongside a door-to-door population survey of a representative sample of individuals aged 20 and above from across 30 states and union territories, and the NCT of Delhi. The study states that across India, carbohydrates contributed 62.3 per cent of total daily energy intake, primarily from refined cereals (28.5 per cent) and milled whole grains (16.2 per cent). Total fat contributed 25.2 per cent, while protein intake was low at 12 per cent. The team also found that about 61 per cent of those surveyed were physically inactive, with 43 per cent being overweight and 26 per cent obese.

North India was observed to have the highest rates of overweight (54 per cent), obesity (37 per cent) and abdominal obesity (48 per cent). In contrast, the eastern region had the lowest prevalence of overweight (31 per cent), obesity (16 per cent) and abdominal obesity (29 per cent). Nearly one-third of the country's population was found to have hypertension (27 per cent) with little inter-regional differences. Overall, 83 per cent of the participants were seen to have at least one metabolic risk factor - either newly diagnosed T2D, prediabetes, dyslipidaemia, general obesity, abdominal obesity or hypertension. 

What can reduce metabolic diseases
The study mentions the following steps to mitigate metabolic diseases
1. Public health strategies to cut overall carb and saturated fat intake
2. Increasing the intake of plant products, dairy proteins
3. Improve physical activity, diet, and reduce type 2 diabetes by 50 per cent
(With PTI inputs)