India issues new dietary guidelines for its citizens

They include consuming less food high in fat, sugar and salt, and reading food labels

- Debarshi Dasgupta

Like many white-collar workers in the Indian service economy, Mr Anubhav Saini has a busy work week.

The 22-year-old lives away from his family in Rewari in the state of Haryana while he works for a financial consultancy in Noida, a city more than 130km away and adjacent to the Indian capital Delhi.

His hectic work schedule means he is often too exhausted to cook when he returns to his flat - which he shares with his housemates after work.

The solution? Food delivery apps with offers that allow Mr Saini, a self-confessed "foodie", to indulge in various cuisines, including Italian, Chinese and north Indian.

Mr Saini does not restrict himself to ordering food only when he is at home, something he does around three to four times a week. On days when he has not brought lunch to work, he and his colleagues eat at a nearby food cart or fast-food joint.

"Sometimes you want to treat yourself because you have had a bad day at work or a very good day at work!... Then you go for it (and order food)," he said, while waiting for his order of a potato wrap and Coca-Cola at a McDonald's branch on May 16.

The eating habits of Indians who often prioritise convenience and taste over health when it comes to their meals - have come into focus after the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition released a set of 17 dietary guidelines on May 7 to reduce unhealthy eating among Indians and the burden of associated health problems.

Key advisories include minimising the consumption of food high in fat, sugar and salt, and restricting the intake of ultra-processed foods such as instant noodles and ready-made packaged meals.

Indians have also been asked to read food labels carefully to make informed choices.

There are some unexpected guidelines too, such as the need to stay away from protein supplement powders that often contain added sugar and additives like artificial flavouring.