Jaipur, February, 2023.

With lifestyle diseases becoming a norm in India there has been much deliberation over food habits and the fact that Vegetarianism is the new cure for all chronic non-communicable diseases is slowly but surely being established.

The Physicians Association for Nutrition India (PAN India) recently at a conference on Evidence- based Nutrition highlighted how plant based diet is essential for our lifestyle. The conference was addressed by Dr. Sanjana M Sikri (Executive Director), Dr. RajeenaShahin (Medical Director) & Dr. Ashish Sabarwal, (Advisor) PAN India.

The panellists highlighted PAN International’s organisation, its mission, the impact they have made in the many countries they operate in, and of course, their plans for PAN India.

More than 1.34 billion people live in India, where chronic non-communicable diseases are on the rise due to fast socioeconomic development and epidemiological change. According to estimates from 2022, non-communicable diseases are responsible for 44% of lost disability-adjusted life years and 53% of all fatalities in India. With an estimated 77 million people currently suffering with diabetes and an expected 134 million by 2045, India has the second-highest number of diabetics worldwide. Cardiovascular disease accounts for one-fifth of all fatalities in India prematurely, and both rural and urban populations are currently witnessing sharp increases in their levels of hypertension.

PAN India’s mission is to: Educate and Train healthcare professionals to use whole food & plant-based nutrition as first-line management for treatment; raise public awareness about the importance of creating a healthy nation and a healthy world; partner with organisations that work in the field of nutrition; and integrate Nutrition-Specific Interventions into health systems in India by empowering healthcare professionals.

On this note Dr. Sanjana M Sikri (Executive Director) PAN India quoted that, “The foremost method of curbing the chronic disease burden is to address dietary & other lifestyle habits. Due to gaps in the curriculum, our doctors are inadequately trained and not fully equipped to facilitate this, resulting in higher reliance on a pharmacological approach.”

Dr. RajeenaShahin (Medical Director) PAN India noted that, “PAN India’s mission is to educate healthcare professionals about Evidence-based Nutrition, disseminate relevant information among the general public and expand our international network thereby updating our knowledge base. It will eventually lead to the control and curbing of the spread of chronic diseases in the country.”

Dr. Ashish Sabarwal, (Advisor) PAN India also added, “Empower healthcare professionals to use whole food, plant-based nutrition as first-line management for treatment and prevention of NCDs, thus, eventually reducing diet-related deaths and lowering the environmental footprint and preserving the biodiversity of the planet and to increase knowledge integration and sustainability of programs and projects through partnerships and collaborations with like-minded organizations.”