January 10, 2026, marked World Dietetics Day, and this year the focus was firmly on a problem that’s touching more and more Indian households – rising obesity and its impact on metabolic health. The Indian Dietetic Association led nationwide campaigns, bringing together hospitals, clinics, and public health institutions to push for nutrition practices rooted in science rather than fashion.
The timing couldn’t be more relevant. With diabetes, heart disease, and obesity climbing steadily across urban and semi-urban populations, the conversation around what we eat has shifted from quick-fix diets to sustainable, preventive strategies.
“Control of Obesity for a Healthier India” Takes Center Stage
This year’s theme signaled something important. Nutrition experts are moving away from simple calorie-counting advice toward a broader understanding of metabolic health. It’s not just about how much you eat, but what you eat, when you eat, and how your body processes it all.
India faces what experts call a “double burden” – undernutrition and obesity existing side by side, sometimes even in the same communities. This reality demands balanced, culturally relevant food strategies rather than extreme diet patterns borrowed from other parts of the world.
Free Screenings Across Cities
Health centers across multiple cities offered free screenings focusing on:
- Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR)
Dietitians used these screenings to drive home an important point. For Indians, health risks may begin at a BMI of 23 kg/m² – lower than the global obesity benchmark of 25 and above. This difference matters because it means many Indians could be at risk even when their weight seems “normal” by international standards.
Abdominal fat measurement received special emphasis. Waist circumference, experts explained, often predicts metabolic disorders more accurately than weight alone. That spare tire around the middle isn’t just a cosmetic concern – it’s a health warning.
Key Takeaways from World Dietetics Day 2026
- Theme: Control of Obesity for a Healthier India
- Focus: Metabolic health over calorie counting
- Risk benchmark: For Indians, BMI of 23 signals health risks (lower than global cut-off)
- Key screening tools: BMI and Waist-to-Hip Ratio, with emphasis on abdominal fat
- Food focus: Return to millets (jowar, bajra, ragi) for better glycemic control
- Protein target: 15-20% of daily calories from diverse sources
- Sugar limit: Below 5% of total energy intake
- Oil strategy: Rotate between cold-pressed oils for balanced fatty acids
Millets Make a Strong Comeback
If there was one food group that stole the show this World Dietetics Day, it was millets. Building on the momentum generated after the International Year of Millets, the campaign strongly promoted “Shree Anna” – traditional grains that our grandparents grew up eating but somehow got pushed aside in the rush toward refined foods.
The millet family includes familiar names:
- Jowar
- Bajra
- Ragi
What makes these grains special? They’re naturally high in fiber and have a lower glycemic index compared to refined wheat and rice products. This means they release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly, helping with blood sugar control and keeping you full longer – both beneficial for weight management.
Public cooking demonstrations and millet-based food fairs popped up under the Eat Right India initiative. The message wasn’t about completely abandoning wheat or rice, but about bringing millets back into regular rotation. A chapati made with jowar flour. A bowl of ragi porridge for breakfast. Bajra khichdi on a cold winter evening.
Traditional foods, modern health benefits.
What the Experts Are Saying
Dietitians used the occasion to discuss updated recommendations aligned with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Nutrition’s revised dietary guidelines. These aren’t fads – they’re evidence-based directions for healthier eating.
Prioritizing Protein
Protein emerged as a major talking point. The recommendation is clear – at least 15 to 20 percent of daily calories should come from diverse protein sources.
This includes:
- Pulses and legumes
- Dairy products
- Eggs
- Fish
- Lean meats for those who eat them
Protein matters for weight control because it keeps you satisfied longer. It matters for muscle health, especially as we age. And it matters for metabolic balance in ways that carbohydrates alone cannot achieve.
Cutting Back on Added Sugar
The sugar message was blunt. Added sugar consumption should ideally stay below 5 percent of total daily energy intake.
To put that in perspective, if you’re eating 2000 calories a day, no more than 100 calories should come from added sugar. That’s about 25 grams – roughly six teaspoons. Given how much sugar hides in packaged foods, soft drinks, and even seemingly healthy snacks, meeting this target requires genuine awareness.
Lower sugar intake means lower risk of obesity, fatty liver disease, and type 2 diabetes. The connection is well established. The challenge is implementation.
Rotating Cooking Oils
Here’s a piece of advice that might be new to many households. Experts recommended alternating between at least two types of cold-pressed oils rather than relying on a single oil year-round.
Why? Different oils have different fatty acid profiles. Rotating between them ensures a more balanced intake. One month you might use groundnut oil, the next month mustard oil, then perhaps coconut oil or sesame oil.
Cold-pressed oils retain more of their natural nutrients compared to highly refined versions. The shift isn’t complicated – it just requires breaking the habit of buying the same 15-liter tin every time.
Why India Needs This Conversation Now
The numbers tell a worrying story. Obesity rates aren’t just rising in metropolitan cities anymore. Tier-2 towns and even rural regions are seeing the same trend.
Several factors are driving this:
- Sedentary lifestyles – more desk jobs, less physical movement
- Processed food consumption – packaged snacks, sugary drinks, ready-to-eat meals
- High refined carbohydrate intake – white rice, white flour, sugary treats
Combine these with genetic factors that make many Indians prone to abdominal obesity and insulin resistance, and you have a public health challenge of significant proportions.
World Dietetics Day 2026 reinforced an essential truth – sustainable dietary change rooted in traditional Indian foods can play a major role in reversing this trend. The solutions don’t have to come from outside. Many of them existed in our kitchens all along.
The Public Health Message
Health professionals used the platform to spread several core messages:
- Early screening matters – Don’t wait for symptoms. Check your BMI and waist circumference regularly
- Portion control beats extreme restriction – You don’t need to starve yourself. Just eat reasonable amounts
- Choose whole grains over refined carbohydrates – The difference in how your body processes them is enormous
- Build balanced meals – Protein, fiber, and healthy fats should all have a place on your plate
The central message was clear and worth repeating. Preventing obesity requires consistent lifestyle shifts, not temporary diet fads. A crash diet might help you lose five kilos in a month, but it won’t keep them off. Small, sustainable changes in how you eat every day – those are what make the lasting difference.
Looking Ahead
World Dietetics Day comes once a year, but the conversation it starts needs to continue every day. The IDA and its partner institutions have laid out the roadmap. Now it’s up to individuals, families, and communities to walk the path.
For the average Indian household, the takeaways are simple enough to remember and practical enough to implement. Bring millets back to the table. Watch your waistline, not just the weighing scale. Cut down on sugar. Get enough protein. Rotate your cooking oils.
None of this requires a complete overhaul of your kitchen or your culture. It just requires paying attention and making smarter choices, meal by meal.
And that’s precisely the point. Good nutrition isn’t about perfection. It’s about direction.