Govt to release nutrient guidelines for all age groups soon

New Delhi: The government will soon release nutrient prescriptions for all age groups, outlining the minimum requirements of protein, carbohydrates and vitamins for infants, adolescents, adults and the elderly, said people familiar with the matter.

The age-based life-cycle nutrition strategy could also propose targeted interventions on discouraging, marketing and advertising of unhealthy foods and promoting healthy foods to people of different age groups.

The move is aimed at doing away with the problems of undernourishment, excess weight and obesity, a key step in the direction of achieving India's commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 3, related to good health and well-being, and to creating a 'Healthy India by 2047', a senior government official told ET.


In India, a body mass index of 23 and 24.9 kg/m² is considered overweight, while a BMI of 25 kg/m² or higher is classified as obese.

The NITI Aayog, the government's premier think tank, has firmed up an age-wise nutrition strategy after extensive stakeholder consultations for more than a year and is expected to submit its report in a month, the official said on condition of anonymity.

The individual-level report, which will be advisory in nature, will be followed by community-wise and a national nutrition strategy over the next one year.

An outcome-based monitoring and accountability framework will also be put in place to check food intake and its impact on reducing under-nourishment and obesity among different age groups.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier this year flagged the issue of obesity in India, terming it the root cause of many diseases, and urged people to cut down on edible oil consumption by 10% and do regular physical exercise to fight this chronic health condition.

A Lancet study forecast that by 2050 one-third of India's population or 449 million will be obese.