Datanomics: Protein of India

Concerns highlighted by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports over the removal of eggs and fruit from PM nutrition meals have reignited the debate over the nutritional quality of school meals, but data shows the challenge extends far beyond them. At the national level, the share of cereals in protein intake is 45.9 per cent in rural India and 38.7 per cent in urban India, much higher than the National Institute of Nutrition’s recommended share, while pulses and animal-source foods together contribute a much smaller proportion. The state-wise picture shows a clear divide. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal obtain a relatively larger proportion of protein from eggs, fish and meat, making their protein basket more balanced. In contrast, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat get almost half their protein from cereals, while eggs, fish and meat contribute much less. However, even states with relatively diverse diets fall short of the National Institute of Nutrition’s recommended protein mix. It is in these states that the highest levels of stunting, wasting and underweight among children have been recorded in some states of the country, while their levels have been recorded much lower in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. While children’s nutrition is influenced by many factors beyond diet, data indicates that states with more diverse sources of protein generally have better nutrition outcomes, underscoring concerns that reducing access to nutrient-dense foods like eggs in school meals has been a major cause of concern.