‘Extra food supplements must to offset protein deficiency’

New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) With diets of nearly 80 per cent of Indians lacking in proper proteins, food giant Danone India's Managing Director Rodrigo Lima on Tuesday urged Indians to opt for food supplements that can fulfil their body's protein requirements.

According to Lima, while 85 per cent of Indians believe they are getting enough proteins in their diet, various surveys and researches suggest otherwise.

"The fulfilment of protein requirements is important for adolescent boys and girls, because it is the transitional phase of life from childhood to adulthood, and rapid increase in height and weight, psychological and sexual maturity with cognitive development are observed among them," he said.

According to a study by research firm IMRB, Lucknow is most protein-deficient city with 90 per cent of its population suffering from protein deficiency.

Ahmedabad and Chennai with 84 per cent each have the second-largest protein-deficient people. Delhi is at the fifth position with 60 per cent of its population suffering from protein deficiency.

The study involved analysis of the diet patterns of respondents.

Danone India on Tuesday also launched a Protinex Bytes, a specially formulated protein-rich, on-the-go nutrition snack for everyone with busy lifestyles.

"Today, protein consumption is limited to home. Also, with changing lifestyles there are more snacking occasions in a day with most options being high in fat and sugar but low in protein," said Lima.

Recently, the Indian Dietetic Association (IDA) on Wednesday launched a campaign here to make people aware of how to acquire right nutrition, especially proteins, even if they do not find enough time to have the day's main meals.