A group of 14 media professionals from  Jammu & Kashmir, led by Tariq Rather, Deputy Director of PIB Srinagar, are on a 5-day media tour in Telangana, from 21st to 25th October 2024. On the second day of the tour, the delegation had the opportunity to visit the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. NIN’s multi-disciplinary scientific team, with a dedicated technical team, works relentlessly to address the nutrition and health challenges we are facing today. NIN provide evidence-based inputs on food and nutrient consumption patterns; and trends in the nutrition status of the population across age and physiological groups, including maternal and child nutrition.

Dr Santasabuj Das, Director-Incharge, ICMR-NIN, in his opening remarks shared with the delegation that Nutrition is one of the most important environmental factors that determine 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. 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 high due to premature deaths and strained health systems, which in turn impede economic progress. Good nutrition is a resource that surpasses the individual and influences the family, and the benefits are felt at the community level, he added.

The group of scientists headed by Dr Subbarao, Dr M. Maheshwar, Dr G.Bhanuprakash Reddy, Dr J J Babu shared their valuable inputs about the research NIN is doing, to eliminate all forms of malnutrition in India through healthy, sustainable and environment-friendly diets and lifestyles. NIN Generates high-quality evidence for tackling important public health nutrition problems such as undernutrition, anaemia, iodine deficiency and various micronutrient deficiencies in vulnerable population groups. Develops various intervention models to prevent and control malnutrition in India by conducting community-based trials (effectiveness trials).

NUTRIFY INDIA NOW 2.0 is a free lifestyle app developed by NIN ICMR for Android devices. This comprehensive app serves as your personal health assistant, catering to diverse needs by monitoring nutrition, physical activity, and overall well-being. The app aims to provide essential information on nutrients available in food and their daily requirements to promote good health and well-being. It offers data on raw foods and recipes with their nutrient composition to help users assess their nutritional status, required dietary allowance (RDA), daily food intake, and energy expenditure.

The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) in Hyderabad, India has conducted a study in  Ladakh called the Diet and Biomarker Survey in India (DABS-I). The study aims to provide insights into the nutritional habits, unexplored food recipes, and anaemia picture in Ladakh. The scientists described it as a mission-mode project aimed at evaluating food and nutrient intake among various demographics, assessing the prevalence of anaemia and nutrient deficiencies, and analyzing food composition.

Media delegates got an opportunity to visit different labs located at ICMR-NIN, Senior scientists from the institution explained how they analyze dietary products, etc.

The media tour aims to provide the participants with a comprehensive understanding of key Central government institutions and landmarks in Hyderabad & Telangana. PIB  Jammu & Kashmir is organizing this tour under the Central Sector Scheme ‘Development Communication & Information Dissemination’ to give the media in Jammu & Kashmir the opportunity to witness the development of various Government of India schemes in Telangana.

Shivacharan Reddy from PIB Hyderabad and other officials accompanied the Media delegation.