Dietary Guidelines for India

The following dietary guidelines are for the affluent in India.

1.   Overall energy intake should be restricted to levels commensurate to the sedentary occupations of the affluent, so the obesity is avoided.

2.  Highly refined and polished cereals should be avoided in preference to under-milled cereals.

3.  Green leafy vegetables (a source not only of carotene but also of linolenic acid derivatives) should be included at least in levels recommended by ICMR (International Conference on Dietary Guidelines).

4.  Edible fat inake need not exceed 40 grams and total fat intake should be limited to levels at which fat will provide no more than 20 per cent of total energy. The use of ghee --clarified butter, a prized item in the Indian culinary system-- should be restricted for occasions and should not be a regular daily feature.

5.  The intake of sugar and sweets should be restricted.

6.  High salt intake should be avoided.

Reference: Florencio, C.A. Dietary Guidelines in Asia-Pacific. ASEAN-New Zealand IILP, Philippines, 1997.

Last Updated: March 29, 2001.