India’s relationship with food has always been intimate; it has been emotional, cultural, and even spiritual. But something has shifted on our plates.

A new nationwide study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has revealed a troubling reality: Indians are consuming too many carbs, too little protein, and it’s causing obesity and diabetes across every state.

The study found that nearly two-thirds of Indian daily calories come from carbs, mainly white rice and refined wheat. Protein intake, on the other hand, makes up barely 12 percent of total energy, mostly from the same cereals dominating our diets. The result? We’re full but not nourished.

Overfed and Undernourished

The ICMR researchers discovered that high carb consumption was directly linked to increased rates of obesity, abdominal fat, and newly diagnosed type-2 diabetes.

People eating the most carbs were 30 percent more likely to have diabetes than those eating less. For a country that once fought hunger and undernutrition, this is a bitter irony.

India’s Green Revolution succeeded in ending famine but also entrenched a diet based on rice and wheat. Over time, millets that were once a staple in daily diets have vanished from kitchens, replaced by polished white rice and packaged flour.

From Kitchen to Tea Time: The Slow Shift

Our “tea-time” culture has become a sugar trap. Fried snacks, sweet biscuits, and milky tea have become small indulgences repeated throughout the day. They add empty calories to an already carb-heavy diet.

Even those who think they eat “light” often underestimate the constant flow of sugar and starch in the modern Indian diet.

The study doesn’t just expose our eating habits; it also exposes a deeper cultural shift. We replaced mindful meals with convenient ones, millets with maida, and lentils with instant pre-made meals. The comfort food that once connected us to health now disconnects us from it.

The Wake-Up Call

India now faces a nutrition paradox: a population that is both overfed and undernourished. Children show early signs of insulin resistance. Young adults are developing lifestyle diseases once seen in the elderly.

Yet, the real danger is invisibility, the idea that this is “normal.”

The ICMR’s message isn't to fear food but to respect it once more. Nourishment is more than just feeling full. Returning to a balanced diet of pulses, millets, vegetables, and fewer refined carbs isn’t just dietary advice; it’s a national necessity.

India’s battle against malnutrition has not been resolved. It has only changed shape. From underfeeding to overindulging, from scarcity to surplus, the enemy now quietly sits at the centre of our plate.

Reference By 
Anjana, R. M., Sudha, V., Abirami, K., Gayathri, R., Manasa, V. S., Deepa, M., Pradeepa, R., Unnikrishnan, R., Joshi, S., Saboo, B., Gupta, A., Joshi, P. P., Adhikari, P., Jabbar, P. K., Jain, S. M., Chowdhury, S., Purty, A. J., Tripathy, S. K., Behera, S., . . . Mohan, V. (2025). Dietary profiles and associated metabolic risk factors in India from the ICMR–INDIAB survey-21. Nature Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03949-4