Complex diet plans gaining popularity despite limited relevance: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said that attractive and often complex diet plans are gaining popularity despite lacking practical relevance.

Speaking at the launch of Smart Calories and Common Sense: An Evidence-Based Guide to Indian Diets by Dr Anoop Misra, Singh said that while awareness about lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and obesity has increased, equal attention must be given to checking the spread of misinformation and disinformation in the diet space.

“Diet is too important a subject to be left to any one group alone,” he said, adding that dietary choices cannot be reduced to generalised prescriptions or uniform charts, and must instead be adapted to individual body types, lifestyles, and metabolic responses.

The event, held at India International Centre in New Delhi, was attended by members of the medical and scientific community, including Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor (Medical), Fortis Healthcare.

Referring to evolving dietary trends, Singh said scientific views on nutrition have changed over time, citing shifts from refined oils to traditional fats and from sugar substitutes to natural alternatives. He noted that such conclusions are often based on population-level evidence and may not apply uniformly to individuals.

Drawing from his medical experience, the Minister highlighted the importance of clinical judgement and patient interaction. He said earlier medical practice relied significantly on detailed history-taking and observation, and cautioned that excessive reliance on reports and standardised prescriptions may overlook individual variations.

Singh also referred to the growing commercialisation in healthcare and diet advisory practices, and reiterated the need for balanced, informed, and evidence-based guidance.

He further highlighted the importance of meal distribution alongside quality and quantity, noting that dietary timing and portioning remain underemphasised in common practice. Lifestyle, habits, and individual responses play a key role in determining suitable dietary patterns, he added.

The Minister said there is no single “ideal diet” applicable to all, and called for moderation, awareness, and informed choices, while urging caution against unverified claims and trends.