Global and Indian Events this Month Reiterate Health and Nutrition Benefits of Proper Protein Intake at Poultry India

Global nutrition, with emphasis on eating a healthy nourishing diet, will take centre stage in India and the world when three major events unfold this month (November).

The World Health Organisation, in association with Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, will hold its path-breaking second inter governmental conference in Rome titled International Conference on Nutrition on 19-21 November with the goal to improve nutrition through national policies and effective international cooperation. The two main outcome documents of the conference are the Rome Declaration on Nutrition: a political commitment document and the Framework for Action: A Technical Guide for Implementation. India will have ministerial representation at this major global seminar.

A week later in Hyderabad on November 26-28 global poultry experts will shed light on the benefits of lean chicken protein intake, ease of accessibility to this vital element in a daily Indian diet and sustained growth of the poultry industry in India at the 8th Annual Poultry exhibition (www.poultryindia.co.in). Poultry India is spearheading an educational campaign to Eat Right, Eat Healthy. Poultry India is an advisory body comprising heads of national organisations including Indian Poultry Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (IPEMA), National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC); CLFMA of India; Poultry Federation of India (PFI), among others;

Also in November, National Geographic Society will premiere a six-hour television series, “EAT: The Story of Food,” over three nights from November 21-23 on the Nat Geo Channel. (natgeofood.com)

These three above events will highlight issues like:

Do we know what we eat and what it does to your body?

Are we giving ourselves the right amount of daily nutrients?

Are we aware of the amount of proteins, carbs and vitamins your body requires every day to stay healthy and smart?

Are we obese and thus prone to diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart attacks, etc?

Protein deficiency in India is cause for concern. A recent paper published in The National Medical Journal of India highlighted the fact that India has the highest number of new Tuberculosis and TB-related deaths in the world, with 2.3 million new cases and an estimated 320,000 deaths annually. A recent study commissioned by Du Pont and done by Economist Intelligence Unit concluded that quality of the food consumed in India is highly deficient in protein, iron and Vitamin A. In their latest report this study says that while meat consumption remains important to the human diet, milk and eggs will increasingly provide a more efficient source of calories and protein. ( http://www.slideshare.net/DuPont/du-pont-committee-updated-report-2014 )

For Indians protein in diet is only 37 grams as against a world average of 65 grams and World Health Organisation recommendations of minimum 84 grams per day. An average Indian consumes 35-40gms of protein per day while the protein requirement for an average person is 1 gm per kilogram of bodyweight per day. (Reference: Nutrient Requirements and Recommended Dietary Allowance for Indians. ICMR 2009)

According to FAO, two billion people suffer from one or more micronutrient deficiencies, while 1.4 billion are overweight, of which 500 million are obese. FAO’s Director-General said tackling obesity will feature prominently during discussions at the Rome conference. In India the prevalence of malnutrition is very high. More than 40% of under-five children population suffers from the condition. In India an estimated 400 million people, a number larger than the entire population of the US, are infected with the TB-bacillus but are asymptomatic though at risk of developing active TB. More than half the cases of TB every year (two thirds in cases of people in age group of 15-19) could be prevented by ensuring people get enough to eat in terms of proteins and calories.

The World Bank reviewed and proposed revisions in May 2014, to its poverty calculation methodology and purchasing power parity basis for measuring poverty worldwide, including India. According to this revised methodology, the world had 872.3 million people below the new poverty line, of which 179.6 million people lived in India. In other words, India with 17.5% of total world’s population had 20.6% share of world’s poorest in 2013.

Dr Geeta Dharmatti, a nationally acclaimed nutritionist said, ” You need protein for your muscles, bones, and the rest of your body. Exactly how much you need changes with age. If you’re watching your weight, try including protein with every meal. It will help you feel full longer”

” Spreading protein evenly across your meals is also good for your muscles, which is especially important as you get older and start to lose muscle mass. Along with the quantity of the protein, it is also very important to choose right quality of protein. Quality of proteins refers to the amount of amino acids provided by that protein. Poultry and egg proteins are easy to digest, cheaper and easily accessible, and hence contribute more in providing the required amino acids to the body. For this reason, they are also referred to as complete dietary protein,’ Dr Geeta, ” added.

Below is a table of protein contents for various foods. From this it is very clear that egg is one of the cheapest sources of protein:

The human brain needs certain essential nutrients to perform at an optimum level, particularly with regard to neurotransmitter-precursors, electrolytes (i.e. salts) and fuel (primarily glucose). By eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in chicken, eggs, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, fish and carbohydrates, you can maintain healthy brain function without having to buy expensive dietary supplements (some of which work, but many of which don’t).

” Apart from protein, you might also want to think about what else you’re getting from protein-rich foods. For instance, to limit saturated fat, you’d want to choose lean chicken meat over fattier cuts. And to cut back on sodium, skip the processed meats like hot dogs and sausage. If you’re trying to get more omega-3s, you might choose fish or eggs enriched with omega-3s. If you need to get more fibre look to beans, vegetables, nuts and pulses, ” Dr Geeta said.

Eggs are a phenomenally inexpensive and incredible source of high-quality nutrients in India. They provide a tremendous amount of choline* which can improve your memory and cognitive response. Studies have linked dietary intake of choline with higher IQ results. Additionally, the omega-3 fatty acids and nutrients like folate, pantothenic acid and zinc are also important for your brain function. Eating the yolk can reduce your stress level and prevent neurological disorders like depression, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. https://www.patrickholford.com/advice/food-for-thought-improve-your-concentration .

” Consumption of adequate protein ensures strong immune defence, efficient signalling of nerves and impulses, healthy hair and maintenance of fluid balance in the body. Protein can also turn into an energy provider when required by the body. Insufficiency of protein in the body affects all organs and overall growth and development. It is always advisable to choose a balanced diet with adequate amount of proteins along with other nutrients to ensure a healthy body and revitalised mind, ” she added.

Mr Om Prakash Singh, core committee member, Poultry India said: “Our Prime Minister has embarked on a worthy campaign to educate us on how to stay clean and thus stay healthy. Poultry India wants to support our PM by educating people on obesity and tell them that obesity decreases the quality and length of life, and increases individual and national healthcare costs. Our campaign which has just begun also fits in rather well with the three global events on nutrition and health globally this month. People who start the day with a protein-rich breakfast consume 200 fewer calories a day than those who chow down on a carb-heavy breakfast .”

Key facts (World Health Organisation):

• Worldwide obesity has nearly doubled since 1980.

• In 2008, more than 1.4 billion adults, 20 and older, were overweight. Of these over 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese.

• 35% of adults aged 20 and over were overweight in 2008, and 11% were obese.

• 65% of the world’s population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight.

• More than 40 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2012.

• Obesity is preventable.

• Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m2)

• Overweight and obesity are leading risks for global deaths. Around 3.4 million adults die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. In addition, 44% of the diabetes burden, 23% of the heart disease burden and between 7% and 41% of certain cancer burdens are attributable to overweight and obesity.

• In 2012, more than 40 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese. Once considered a high-income country problem, overweight and obesity are now on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. In developing countries with emerging economies (classified by the World Bank as lower- and middle-income countries) the rate of increase of childhood overweight and obesity has been more than 30% higher than that of developed countries.

• Overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight. For example, 65% of the world’s population live in countries where overweight and obesity kill more people than underweight (this includes all high-income and most middle-income countries).

What causes obesity and overweight?

• The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Globally, there has been:
• an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat; and
• an increase in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization.
• Changes in dietary and physical activity patterns are often the result of environmental and societal changes associated with development and lack of supportive policies in sectors such as health, agriculture, transport, urban planning, environment, food processing, distribution, marketing and education.
• Children in low- and middle-income countries are more vulnerable to inadequate pre-natal, infant and young child nutrition At the same time, they are exposed to high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, energy-dense, micronutrient-poor foods, which tend to be lower in cost but also lower in nutrient quality. These dietary patterns in conjunction with lower levels of physical activity, result in sharp increases in childhood obesity while under-nutrition issues remain unsolved.