Key facts

  • ICDS began on 2 October 1975; nutrition, health check-ups and pre-school education made it the core service platform for children under 6 years and pr...
  • POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched on 8 March 2018 in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan;
  • ICMR-NIN published Nutrient Requirements for Indians in 2020; these recommendations guide balanced diets, energy needs and micronutrient intake for In...
  • The Dietary Guidelines for Indians were updated by ICMR-NIN in 2024;
  • The National Food Security Act, 2013 gives legal backing to food-grain entitlements and includes nutritional support for pregnant women, lactating mot...

Key Points at a Glance

  1. 1

    ICDS began on 2 October 1975; nutrition, health check-ups and pre-school education made it the core service platform for children under 6 years and pregnant or lactating women.

  2. 2

    POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched on 8 March 2018 in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan; it linked nutrition monitoring, convergence and behaviour change to reduce stunting, undernutrition, anaemia and low birth weight.

  3. 3

    ICMR-NIN published Nutrient Requirements for Indians in 2020; these recommendations guide balanced diets, energy needs and micronutrient intake for Indian population groups.

  4. 4

    The Dietary Guidelines for Indians were updated by ICMR-NIN in 2024; the guidelines stress diversified foods, less sugar, less salt and careful use of fats.

  5. 5

    The National Food Security Act, 2013 gives legal backing to food-grain entitlements and includes nutritional support for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children.

  6. 6

    Vitamin A prevents night blindness and protects epithelial tissues; deficiency is a major preventable cause of childhood eye damage.

  7. 7

    Iodine is required for thyroid hormone synthesis; iodised salt is the public-health measure used to prevent goitre and impaired mental development.

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Nutrients, energy and balanced diet

Nutrients are chemical substances in food that support growth, repair, energy production, immunity and body regulation. They are grouped as macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are needed in gram quantities and include carbohydrates, proteins, fats and water. Micronutrients are needed in small quantities and include vitamins and minerals. The recruitment-level distinction is simple: macronutrients mainly provide energy and body-building material, while micronutrients regulate metabolism and protect against deficiency diseases.

Energy in nutrition is measured in kilocalories. Carbohydrate and protein each provide about 4 kcal per gram, while fat provides about 9 kcal per gram. Alcohol also yields energy, but it is not a nutrient required for health. A balanced diet supplies adequate energy, good-quality protein, visible and invisible fats, protective foods such as vegetables and fruits, and enough water. In ICDS and Women and Child Development work, this concept is applied to growth monitoring, supplementary nutrition and counselling mothers on locally available foods.

Exam takeaway: remember the energy values, the macronutrient-micronutrient distinction and the link between balanced diet and vulnerable groups.

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