Landmark national study links India’s adverse dietary profile to surging diabetes and obesity: ICMR-INDIAB

India’s shift toward carb-heavy diets is driving a surge in diabetes and obesity, according to a major new study from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Researchers warn that everyday eating habits, packed with white rice and sugary foods, are putting millions at risk for metabolic issues like prediabetes and weight gain.

The ICMR-INDIAB study, published in Nature Medicine, teamed up with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) to survey over 121,000 adults across urban and rural areas in all 36 states, union territories, and Delhi. They dug into detailed food diaries from one in five participants to map out India’s eating patterns and spot regional differences in carbs, fats, and proteins.

Carbs dominate Indian plates, making up a whopping 62% of daily calories—among the highest rates worldwide. Most come from low-quality sources like white rice in the South, East, and Northeast; wheat in the North and Central areas; and added sugars everywhere. Millets, like ragi, jowar, and bajra, show up as staples only in states such as Karnataka, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Alarmingly, added sugars topped national limits (under 5% of energy) in 21 states and territories.

Fats tell a mixed story. Total fat stays within the recommended 30% of calories, but saturated fats—bad for heart health—exceed safe levels (under 7%) in nearly every state except Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur. Good fats, like monounsaturated and omega-3s from nuts or fish, remain scarce nationwide.

Protein intake falls short too, averaging just 12% of calories, with the Northeast leading at 14%. Diets rely heavily on plant sources like cereals, pulses, and legumes (9%), while dairy and animal proteins hover low at 2% and 1%, respectively, with big variations by region.

The study links these high-carb, low-protein habits—especially from refined grains and sugars—to higher risks of diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity. But there’s hope in small changes: Swapping just 5% of calories from carbs to plant or dairy proteins could slash those risks. Switching to red meat or extra fats? Not so helpful.

“Our findings show typical Indian diets, loaded with carbs from white rice or wheat flour and skimpy on quality protein, are endangering millions,” said Dr. R.M. Anjana, lead author and MDRF president. She adds that just swapping white rice for whole wheat or millets won’t cut it—people need to dial back total carbs and boost proteins.

Joint first author Sudha, a senior scientist at MDRF’s Foods, Nutrition, and Dietetics department, points out that these metabolic dangers pop up everywhere, no matter the carb source.

Senior author Dr. V. Mohan, MDRF chairman, calls for big-picture fixes. “These results should push policy changes, like tweaking food subsidies and health campaigns to promote more plant-based and dairy proteins while cutting carbs and saturated fats.”

Co-senior author Dr. Shilpa Bhupathiraju agrees: “Tackling saturated fats is tough, but pushing healthier oils, pulses, and legumes could transform the nation’s health.”

Dr. Mohan emphasizes that better diets could reverse India’s nutrition slide, fill protein gaps, and upgrade overall eating quality. Since health falls under state governments, he urges them to rethink subsidies for healthier foods. It’ll take teamwork across health, agriculture, food processing, and welfare sectors to make it happen.

Funded by ICMR and the Health Ministry, the ICMR-INDIAB study spanned 15 years, with MDRF as the national hub.


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