India is quietly confronting a major health shift. Increasing numbers of people are gaining excess weight, developing diabetes, or living with elevated blood sugar. A fresh report from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) points to one key factor: diet. On average, about 62% of daily calories in India come from carbohydrates — largely rice, wheat and sugar — while protein and fibre intake remains low.

Many still equate home-cooked food with health and strength. But the issue now is not simply where meals are prepared; it is what fills the plate. Today's family meals look and function very differently from those of previous generations, and everyday life has transformed even more.

Earlier lifestyles buffered nutritional gaps: people walked more, did manual labour, cooked fresh each day, slept earlier and followed steadier routines. Their food often came from soils richer in minerals. Even when ingredients were similar, past diets delivered different nourishment because the environment and ways of living supported greater natural nutrition.

The turning point came with the Green Revolution of the 1960s. To avert hunger, India intensified production of wheat and rice. That success brought food security, yet it also encouraged monoculture. Continuous cultivation of the same staples gradually depleted soil nutrients, and crops grown on weakened soils carry fewer minerals into our meals.

Nutritionists warn that the micronutrient content of many grains has dropped compared with earlier decades. In practical terms, people may be eating adequate calories but falling short on essential nutrients. Restoring soil health is therefore central to producing more nourishing crops and healthier populations.

How we cook and eat has shifted, too. Refined staples now dominate many households because they are quick and convenient. Polished rice, refined wheat flour, packaged snacks, instant noodles and ready-fried items fill plates more often. These choices sate hunger but offer little fibre or sustained energy — they spike blood sugar and encourage fat storage.

Carbohydrates themselves are not the villain; the problem lies in the kinds we prioritize. Whole grains, millets, lentils and vegetables provide energy plus fibre and minerals. By contrast, polished grains and processed snacks deliver mostly empty calories. Without fibre to slow digestion, hunger returns sooner and overeating becomes a common trap.

Modern routines amplify dietary harm. Long hours seated at desks, continuous screen time, erratic meal schedules, poor sleep and high stress reduce physical resilience and raise the risk of type 2 diabetes and other lifestyle illnesses.

Health experts recommend a simple visual fix: rebalance the plate. Half should be vegetables; one quarter proteins — such as dal, chana, rajma, eggs, curd, paneer, fish or chicken — and the remaining quarter can be rice or roti. This split supplies a more complete array of nutrients to sustain daily activity.

Vegetarians often need to be more deliberate about protein. Relying on dal alone may be insufficient; including peanuts, sprouts, curd, tofu, chana, rajma, soya or paneer helps meet needs. Without enough protein, muscles weaken, metabolism slows and weight gain becomes easier.

The warning signs are already visible: diabetes appearing in people in their twenties, children gaining weight earlier, and many adults feeling chronically tired and dependent on tea and quick snacks. These trends indicate an urgent need for dietary correction.

The encouraging truth is change can begin with everyday choices. Pick whole grains rather than refined ones. Add an extra serving of vegetables to meals. Drink more water. Walk at least 30 minutes each day. Keep regular meal times and prioritise sleep. Small, consistent habits can protect health more effectively than treatments later on.

The Indian diet is not fundamentally flawed — it is unbalanced. Time-honoured traditions emphasised seasonal, natural and mindful eating; revisiting those customs could help restore nutritional harmony.

India need not abandon its culinary identity. What is needed is a renewal of balance: plates that nourish bodies will, in turn, strengthen communities and the nation.