Since Indians are highly prone to diabetes and about 5.7 crore of them are estimated to get the disease by 2025, Indian health experts have brought out a new diet plan, cutting the intake of carbohydrates, salt and sugar and increasing the amount of protein and water. Above all, they have allowed moderate consumption of alcohol since “it improves good cholesterol (HDL).”
“People drinking a small quantity of alcohol should not be discouraged since research has shown that limited consumption helps prevent diabetes and heart disease. Ideally men should drink two pegs of 30ml each a week and for women it should one 30ml peg,” said Dr Anoop Misra, director of Centre for Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Disorders (C-DOC). Misra was part of the team that made the suggestions.
These new guidelines, in line with WHO recommendations, have been created by the Diabetes Foundation of India, C-DOC and department of science and technology (DST) in consultation with more than 100 experts from nutrition, internal medicine, metabolic diseases, endocrinology, cardiology, exercise physiology and sports medicine.
The experts have suggested a cut in the carbohydrate intake from 60-70% of total energy to 50-60% and raised protein intake to 10-15% of total energy from 10-12%. Salt intake should be less than 5g. “Indians have less muscle mass which results in low metabolism and makes them prone to diabetes and related diseases. Hence, they must increase protein intake,” said Misra. The need for a new diet was felt keeping in mind the economic and demographic changes, improved food supply due to longer shelf life, leading to increased fat and salt intake. “Studies have established that Indians get diabetes early and respond to treatment poorly,” he said.
Other suggestions are that the total daily dietary fibre should be 25 to 40 gm a day. Visible fat like oil, butter, ghee, and invisible ones, such as those from cereals and pulses, should not provide more than 30% of total energy. Water intake is up as well, to 8-10
glasses a day.
Comments