Arushi Bidhuri
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Written By: Arushi Bidhuri | Published : April 1, 2021 10:50 AM IST
For a country with a whopping population of approximately 1.35 billion, a significant percentage of which is youth, a lurking protein deficiency issue is a serious cause for alarm with India ranking the lowest in protein consumption amongst other countries across the globe. And when studies indicate that of this large population, over 70 per cent of Indians are protein deficient with over 90 per cent unaware of their daily protein requirement, it is indeed worrisome and raises important questions why is protein deficiency such a persistent issue in our country, and how can it be addressed?
A world leader in the production of protein-rich pulses producing 20 million tons per annum, India yields approximately 25 per cent of the world's pulses, which also form a majority segment of most Indians' diets therefore indicating that scarcity of protein is not the cause for deficiency among the population. It is instead, the lack of awareness about the role of protein and its many sources that can be attributed to this rapidly increasing protein deficiency issue within the country.
One of the three key macronutrients, proteins are the building blocks of the body; each cell made of protein. Consisting of multiple amino acids that are essential for the body's growth and development across various phases of life, proteins help build and strengthen one's muscles and bones, improve overall immunity by boosting our body's powerhouses such as antibodies and immune system cells, and aid overall digestion by maintaining gut health. Combined with the other macronutrients carbohydrates and fats, alongside vitamins and minerals, which are essential micronutrients a balanced mix of both macro-and micronutrients as per one's physical and lifestyle requirements will aid quality of life from inception to death.
It is thus, of utmost importance to take the bull by its horns and tackle the protein deficiency issue at its core. And this can only be achieved by rapidly overcoming the lack of awareness through education-led interventions and initiatives, which will allow people to make more informed dietary choices in the future.
Creating awareness about nutrition requirements early on in one's life cycle not only help inculcate healthy eating patterns but also guide one's daily nutrition consumption as per the requirements of the different phases of one's life cycle. With only 3 per cent of Indian food purchase decision-makers aware of the prominent function of proteins as per the recent Protein Paradox study, it is even more pertinent to educate parents; therefore enabling them to better plan their children's diets and make way for a nutritive and healthy lifestyle.
And while government initiatives such as the National Food Security Act and Public Distribution System (PDS) targeting to minimize India's looming malnutrition problem by providing subsidized food grains to beneficiaries and NITI Aayog actively pushing for the inclusion of protein-rich foods in the PDS are definitive steps towards fighting protein deficiency, there are millions of people in the country who are lacking in-depth knowledge about protein's pivotal role.
For those, expert-led webinars, virtual live chats and sessions can act as stepping stones in driving home the importance of a protein-rich diet. The recent webinar hosted by nutritionist Pooja Makhija with Teach For India on Protein Day 2021 saw participants decipher many a protein-related myth while better understanding and identifying the various sources of plant-based and animal-based proteins that are easily available for daily consumption under Pooja Makhija's expertise. From debunking commonly believed misconceptions about proteins to unravelling various queries about regular protein consumption and detailing the health benefits of a protein-rich diet, the webinar saw participants from various age groups and demographics.
For community-level interventions at the grass-root level, focused outreach by community health workers such as AWW & ASHA, who counsel mothers on nutrition and health, public advisory toolkits, door-to-door educative sessions and group discussions help break through barriers and bridge the protein deficiency gap.
Whatever might be the agent of communication, there is but one truth education is the key to curbing India's growing malnutrition and protein deficiency issues at the root. Be it man, woman or child the right knowledge about one's nutrition and protein requirements, proteins' role in one's overall health and affordable sources of protein-rich foods are as essential to leading towards a protein sufficient future for India as proteins are essential to our growth and development through life. After all, health is wealth. And only can a healthy nation truly make its way towards a future that is bright, progressive and hopeful of a better tomorrow.
(Authored by Pooja Makhija, Celebrity Dietician)
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