Hyderabad: Unhealthy dietary habits are the leading risk factor for diseases like coronary heart ailments, hypertension and diabetes in India. This was stated by Dr Santasabuj Das, Incharge Director, ICMR- National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, during his interaction with a delegation of visiting media persons from J&K. He said the nutrition is one of the most important environmental factors that determines the risk and outcome of many communicable and non-communicable diseases.
“Unhealthy dietary habit is the leading risk factor for disease burden contributing to more than half of the DALYS due to coronary heart disease, hypertension and diabetes in India”, Dr Santasabuj said.
He said the prevention and reduction of communicable and non-communicable chronic diseases are intricately linked to various forms of malnutrition. “Economically, the cost of poor nutrition is leading cause of premature deaths and strained health systems, which in turn impede economic progress”, he said adding, “Good nutrition is a resource that surpasses the individual and influences the family, and the benefits are felt at the community level”.
