ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians (DGI 2024) - Overview

Background

Key Structural Changes from 2011

The 17 Dietary Guidelines (Summary by Theme)

1. General Eating Principles

• Eat a variety of foods across all 10 food groups daily to ensure macronutrient and micronutrient adequacy.
• Follow the "My Plate for the Day" model: half the plate vegetables + fruits, a quarter cereals/millets, a quarter protein foods (legumes/dairy/eggs/fish/meat).
• Restrict meal frequency to 2-3 meals per day (avoids excessive energy intake from repeated snacking).
• Avoid ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and foods high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS foods).

2. Cereals, Millets & Starchy Foods

• Recommended intake: 250 g/day (adults).
• Replace refined grains with whole grains and millets (jowar, bajra, ragi, foxtail millet) to improve fibre, B-vitamins, and mineral intake.
• Caution: White rice >450 g/day is associated with increased T2D risk.

3. Vegetables & Fruits

• Total vegetables: 400 g/day (100 g green leafy vegetables + 250 g other vegetables + 50 g roots/tubers).
• Fruits: 100 g/day.
• Herbs and spices are recognized as a distinct food group for the first time, acknowledging their micronutrient and bioactive roles.

4. Legumes, Pulses & Protein

• 60-85 g/day of pulses/legumes.
• Enhanced plant-based protein focus; specific legume recommendations to support vegetarian diets.
• Avoid regular protein supplement use for muscle building - no evidence of benefit beyond adequate food intake.

5. Fats & Oils

• Restrict cooking oil to 25-30 g/day.
• Fat quality targets: <7% energy from saturated fats, zero trans-fat, increased long-chain omega-3 PUFAs (from fatty fish, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts).
• Nuts and oilseeds are recommended in adequate quantities.

6. Sugar & Salt

• Sugar: limit to 20-25 g/day (adults); avoid sugar-sweetened beverages.
• Salt: restrict to 5 g/day (align with WHO recommendation) to reduce hypertension risk.

7. Animal Foods

• Lean meat / marine fish: ~80 g/day or 250-300 g twice a week.
• Fish rich in LCn-3 PUFAs (tuna, mackerel, salmon) are specifically highlighted.
• Eggs: a cost-effective source of high-quality protein and micronutrients.

Population-Specific Recommendations

Pregnant & Lactating Women

• Ensure appropriate pre-pregnancy BMI and normal haemoglobin before conception.
• Minimum age at first pregnancy: 21 years.
• Adequate folate, iron, iodine, calcium, and vitamin D supplementation as per RDA.
• Promote exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, followed by complementary feeding.

Infants & Children

• Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life.
• Complementary foods introduced at 6 months - semi-solid, nutrient-dense, age-appropriate.
• Avoid introduction of UPFs, salt, and sugar in early childhood.
• Emphasis on microgreens (newly introduced concept) as nutrient-dense additions to complementary and family foods.

Elderly (>60 years)

• Increased focus on protein quality (not just quantity) to prevent sarcopenia.
• Adequate calcium and vitamin D for bone health.
• Calorie requirements decrease but micronutrient requirements remain the same or increase.
• Physical activity remains recommended even in the elderly.

Lifestyle & Safety Recommendations

• Physical activity: at least 45-60 minutes of moderate activity daily.
• Avoid a sedentary lifestyle; limit screen time.
• Safe food practices: proper storage, hygiene, clean water.
• Read food labels - a newly emphasized skill to help consumers avoid UPFs and HFSS foods.
• Sustainable food choices aligned with UN SDGs.

What's New in 2024 vs. 2011

1. 10 food groups (vs. 4 previously) - vegetables split into 3 subgroups; herbs & spices added.
2. Explicit ultra-processed food restriction.
3. Protein supplement warning - avoid routine use.
4. "My Plate for the Day" visual model replacing the older food pyramid.
5. Microgreens introduced as a food concept.
6. Stronger sustainability and environmental framing aligned with SDGs.
7. Integration of NFHS-5 and CNNS national survey data.
8. Detailed fat quality targets (SFA, trans-fat, omega-3).
9. Higher vegetable targets (400 g vs. 300 g/day).

Summary Table: Key Quantitative Targets (Sedentary Adult)

• ICMR-NIN DGI 2024 official PDF
• PMC - Changes in NIN guidelines 2011 to 2024 (Singh et al., 2025)
• PMC - International comparison of DGI 2024