Average Indian diet provides only 70% nutrition: Survey

New Delhi, Sep 7:  Nearly nine out of 10 doctors and nutritionists believe that the average daily Indian diet fulfills only 70 per cent or even lower nutritional needs of a person, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

The findings are based on a nationwide survey of 220 healthcare practitioners (doctors and nutritionists) by multivitamin supplement brand Supradyn.

The survey brought to light an alarming gap in meeting the body's 100 per cent nutrition requirements across all zones in India.

As many as 90 per cent doctors and nutritionists agreed to at least a 30 per cent nutrition gap in average daily diet even among states that predominantly consume non-vegetarian foods.

Further, the survey showed that vitamin B12 and D3 are the top two vitamins lacking in an average daily diet across the country, followed by zinc, iron, calcium, folic acid, and vitamin C.

A whopping 73 per cent doctors and nutritionists believe that this inadequacy can be overcome with a daily dose of multivitamin-multimineral supplements.

"The doctor-led nutrition survey has identified a surprisingly large nutrition gap in our daily diets, highlighting a grave insufficiency of micronutrients," said Sandeep Verma, Country Head, India, Bayer Consumer Health Division, in a statement.

"This survey has brought to life a surprising truth: an average daily diet cannot always meet 100 per cent of your body's nutrition requirement. Including a daily multivitamin-multimineral supplement can help bridge the nutrition gap and provide your body with optimum energy and immunity levels," added Dr Jenam P. Mehta, Consultant Physician and Chest Specialist, Member of European Respiratory Society.

With Covid-19 pandemic having reset priorities, health and wellness have risen to the top of minds. Hence, meeting daily requirements of nutrients should be looked at as a growing necessity, not just an added advantage, the survey suggested.