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National Nutrition Month
India
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Mumbai/New Delhi, September 22, 2025:
As India observes National Nutrition Month, health experts are raising a red flag on the rising burden of obesity and related lifestyle diseases. Dr. Mrinali Dwivedi, Consulting Nutrition and Clinical Dietician at Apex Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, has urged citizens to reduce their daily intake of sugar, oil, and salt, the three hidden culprits behind a surge in diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), nearly 24% of Indian adults are overweight or obese, a figure that has nearly doubled in the past two decades. At the same time, India is home to over 77 million people living with diabetes, making it the second-highest in the world. High blood pressure affects more than 220 million Indians, silently raising risks of stroke, kidney failure, and cardiovascular complications.
Dr. Mrinali Dwivedi explained that excessive sugar consumption fuels obesity and increases insulin resistance, a direct pathway to diabetes. High salt intake is strongly linked to hypertension and heart disease, while overuse of cooking oils and processed fats contributes to obesity and clogged arteries. “What makes the situation alarming is that many people do not realize how much hidden sugar, salt, and oil they consume daily through packaged foods, fried snacks, and sugary beverages,” she said.
The theme of this year’s National Nutrition Month emphasizes making small but consistent lifestyle changes. Dr. Mrinali Dwivedi advises citizens to adopt simple practices such as switching to whole grains, limiting processed foods, using minimal oil while cooking, and seasoning meals with natural herbs and spices instead of excess salt. Replacing sugary drinks with water, buttermilk, or fresh fruit can also significantly cut daily calorie intake.
“Nutrition is the foundation of good health. By reducing sugar, salt, and oil in our diets, we can not only manage weight but also prevent serious health problems that are becoming increasingly common among young and middle-aged Indians,” said Dr. Mrinali Dwivedi. She further added, Reduce the amount of total fat intake to less than 30% of total energy intake to help prevent unhealthy weight gain. Lower your risk of developing noncommunicable diseases (such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers) by: reducing saturated fats (found in fatty meat, butter, coconut oil, cream, cheese, ghee and lard) to less than 10% of total energy intake; reducing total trans fats (found in processed food, fast food, snack food, fried food, frozen pizza, pies, cookies, margarines and spreads) to less than 1% of total energy intake; and replacing both with unsaturated fats (found in fish, avocado, nuts, olive oil, soy, canola, sunflower and corn oils).
