Rethinking the Indian Diet: The Hidden Link Between Food Habits and Rising Diabetes

As India’s diet shifts from whole grains and pulses to refined, calorie-dense foods, doctors warn that the nation’s changing plate may be reshaping its health.

India’s relationship with food appears to have evolved dramatically within a few generations. From the ration queues and grain imports of the post-independence era (late 1940s to 1950s), the country has moved to overflowing warehouses and global-style supermarkets. Hunger has largely receded but another kind of imbalance seems to have taken its place.

Rethinking the Indian Diet

Doctors now talk about a “nutrition transition.” In simple terms, our meals may have changed faster than our metabolism. Traditional plates once built around millets, pulses and fresh produce now appear to have given way to refined grains, packaged snacks and sugary beverages. This shift, many researchers believe, may be fuelling the sharp climb in type 2 diabetes seen across the country.

Genetics can’t fully explain this rise. What appears to matter more is how modern life has transformed both our diets and our daily routines.

From the Fields to the Factory Mill

A few decades ago, Indian kitchens typically revolved around local produce such as ragi, bajra, jowar, hand-pounded rice, vegetables from the yard, and milk from the neighbourhood dairy. The Green Revolution of the 1960s appears to have made rice and wheat plentiful and affordable. But with that success came subtle trade-offs.

As refined rice and wheat became the norm, coarse cereals began to vanish from household menus. The data are striking: millets once made up nearly a quarter of rural calorie intake; by 2011, they contributed barely six per cent. Urban diets saw an even steeper drop.

On paper, calorie intake rose, a sign of prosperity. In practice, nutritional quality slipped. Fibre, protein and micronutrients appear to have declined in everyday meals, leaving diets largely comprised of starch, salt and oil.

Too Many Carbs, Too Little Variety

For most families today, every meal appears to begin and end with carbohydrates. Average urban adults consume close to 289 grams of carbs daily; rural Indians often cross 350 grams (368 grams to be exact). Roughly 73% and 80% in urban and rural diets come from refined cereals such as white rice and polished wheat flour.¹">¹

Vegetables, pulses and quality proteins occupy far smaller portions of the plate. ¹">¹ Ready-to-eat snacks, biscuits and fizzy drinks in many cases seem to have filled that gap of convenience.

Researchers tracking this trend suggest that individuals consuming very high amounts of carbohydrates may face a higher likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those eating less. While the study doesn’t claim a direct cause, it highlights how heavily refined carbs can strain the body’s ability to manage blood sugar, especially when paired with sedentary routines.

The White-Rice Paradox

Rice is more than food in India; it is identity, celebration, even comfort. Yet, the form most commonly eaten today, the highly polished white variety, is known to often raise blood glucose faster than its unpolished cousin.

Studies suggest that switching from white rice to brown rice, or combining rice with lentils, may help improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels. People living with obesity or metabolic syndrome (MS) seemed to benefit the most. Still, brown rice seems to remain rare on Indian tables.

This long-standing preference for polished rice, combined with low fibre and protein intake, appears to push up the overall glycaemic load of daily diets, a factor linked with insulin resistance, an early marker of diabetes.

Protein: The Overlooked Nutrient

Despite being one of the world’s largest producers of pulses, India continues to face what experts call a protein gap. Cost, taste preferences and uneven availability mean many families can’t or don’t include enough pulses and dairy in their diet.

More than half of total protein still comes from cereals, which lack certain essential amino acids. When adjusted for quality, roughly one in three rural Indians may fall short of the daily protein requirement.

Including more legumes, pulses and dairy could support better metabolic health. Milk and yogurt, for example, have been associated with improved insulin sensitivity.²">² By contrast, diets high in red or processed meat show stronger links with diabetes risk, though such foods are less common in Indian diets overall.

Fat: The Oil Dilemma

Over time, Indians have also started consuming more fat, about a quarter of daily calories in cities now come from it. The concern is not just how much fat, but what kind.

Refined vegetable oils like sunflower have become household staples. Yet, relying on a single oil source may not give the right balance of fatty acids. One Chennai-based study found that people who cooked exclusively with sunflower oil showed a higher prevalence of metabolic-syndrome-related indicators than those alternating with groundnut or palmolein oil.¹">¹

That doesn’t make any one oil “bad,” but it suggests moderation and variety matter. Mixing oils or rotating them through the month might help achieve a healthier balance of fats overall.

Losing the Fibre Advantage

As grains became more processed, fibre, micro- and phytonutrients steadily declined. The bran and germ removed during milling once supplied B-vitamins, iron, magnesium and fibre that slowed down digestion and helped keep blood sugar stable. ¹">¹

National surveys indicate that while the recommended intake of vegetables and fruits is 350g/d and 150g/d respectively, only 265 g/d was being consumed in total. Many diets today provide enough calories but not enough quality. The result: meals that fill you up but don’t necessarily fuel your body well.¹">¹

Fibre plays a quiet but critical role in regulating glucose absorption and maintaining gut health. Its decline may be one of the silent contributors to India’s rising diabetes numbers.

Lifestyle and Access: The Other Half of the Story

Studies also point to lifestyle as a powerful modifier. Urbanisation, desk-based jobs and shrinking physical activity amplify the dietary risks. Even modest exercise seems to help buffer the effects of high-carbohydrate diets, but for many, the day simply doesn’t allow it.

Government programmes such as the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) have been set up to address exactly this challenge, aiming to cut premature deaths from lifestyle-related conditions by a quarter by 2025. Likewise, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) continues to push for clearer labelling and limits on trans fats.

Still, affordability remains a stubborn barrier. The review highlights that in rural India, nearly two-thirds of households (about 63%) may not be able to afford a balanced, nutritious diet even if they spend all their income on food. Access and awareness, therefore, go hand in hand.¹">¹

Rediscovering What Worked

The solutions proposed by the researchers are neither new nor extreme, they mostly echo what our grandparents practised. Bringing millets back to the table, eating more pulses and vegetables, cutting down on refined grains and sugar, and cooking with a mix of oils could together make a difference.

These changes, however small, may help nudge dietary patterns back toward balance. Beyond the kitchen, there’s also the matter of food equity. Within many homes, women still tend to eat last, often compromising on quality or quantity 3. Correcting that cultural habit could be as impactful as any policy reform.

A Collective Effort

The explosion of type 2 diabetes across South Asia, particularly in India, cannot be pinned on one single cause. It appears to be the outcome of multiple shifts: refined carbs replacing coarse grains, declining protein quality, excess unhealthy fats, and fibre-poor diets compounded by sedentary living.

Reversing these trends will require more than individual willpower. Families, communities, policymakers and the food industry all share responsibility. Expanding access to affordable, diverse and nutrient-dense foods may be among the most effective ways to curb the rise.

In Essence

India’s dietary story may mirror its economic one, rapid growth, uneven distribution, and the occasional unintended side-effect. The abundance that once symbolised progress may now be testing the nation’s health.

The way forward might lie in small recalibrations rather than sweeping overhauls: a return to whole grains, a handful of pulses with every meal, seasonal vegetables, mindful portions. These are modest steps, but together they may help restore the balance between nourishment and abundance.

As the researchers gently remind, the time to act may indeed be now, not through deprivation, but through rediscovery of what once kept India well.

References:

1. https://jn.nutrition.org/article/S0022-3166(23)12719-2/pdf">https://jn.nutrition.org/article/S0022-3166(23)12719-2/pdf
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224424004175">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224424004175
3. https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-insight/gender-equality/why-do-women-eat-last-understanding-gender-bias-in-india-101630585553086.html

Note to the Reader: This article has been created by HT Brand Studio on behalf of Roche Diabetes Care India Pvt. Ltd. The information provided is intended solely for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice or endorsement. Please consult a registered medical practitioner for personalized medical advice or before making any decisions regarding your health conditions or treatment options.