detail description of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN)

1. NATIONAL INSTITUTE
OF NUTRITION (NIN)
Ms. SAHELI C
LECTURER
IACN

2. INTRODUCTION
• National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) was founded by Sir
Robert Mc Carrison in the year 1918 as ‘Beri- Beri’
Enquiry unit in a single room laboratory at the Pasteur
Institute, Coonoor, Tamil NADU.
• Within a short span of 7 years, this unit blossomed into a
‘deficiency Disease Enquiry’ and later in 1928, emerged
as full fledged ‘nutrition Research Laboratories’ (NRL)
with Dr. Mc Carrison as its first Director.

3. • It was shifted to Hyderabad in 1958.
• At the time of its golden jubilee in 1969, it was renamed as
National Institute of Nutrition (NIN).
• The following centres also started functioning at NIN in
later years:
1. Food and Drug Toxicology Research Centre (FDTRC) in
1971.
2. National nutrition monitoring Bureau (NNMB) in 1972
3. National Centre for Laboratory Animal Sciences (NCLAS)
in 1976.

4. OBJECTIVES
• To identify various dietary and nutrition
problems prevalent among different segments
of the population in the country.
• To continuously monitor diet and nutritional
situation of the country.
• To evolve effective methods of management
and prevention of nutritional problems.

5. • To conduct operational research connected
with planning and implementation of national
nutrition programmes.
• To do nutritional research with other health
programmes of the Government.
• Human resource development in the field of
nutrition.
• To disseminate nutrition information.
• To advice government and other organizations
on issues relating to nutrition.

6. ACHIEVEMENTS
1. Protein energy malnutrition (PEM)
2. Growth monitoring.
3. Food composition and dietary requirements.
4. Food based approach to combat micronutrient
deficiencies.
5. National nutrition surveillance system (NSS)
6. National nutrition programme.
7. Human resource development.
8. Other achievements.

7. 1. Protein Energy Malnutrition
• Exploded the ‘protein myth’ and highlighted
‘calorie gap’ as the major bottleneck for
healthy growth of children.
• This observation helped in deciding the recipes
for supplementary feeding programmes for
vulnerable groups.
• Developed simple and sensitive biochemical
indicators for assessment of vitamin and other
nutritional deficiency.

8. 2. Growth monitoring
• Established growth norms for Indian children.
• Emphasized the importance of growth
monitoring for early diagnosis and appropriate
management of protein energy malnutrition.
• Proved that the growth potential of Indian
children is similar to those of developed
countries.

9. 3. FOOD COMPOSITION AND DIETARY
REQUIREMENTS.
• Generated database on nutritive values over 650 Indian
foods, which is used by various national organizations,
planners and academic research institutions.
• Formulated Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for
Indians.
• Developed food based dietary guidelines for Indians.
• Paid the attention on formulation of national policies on
food, agriculture and edible oils.

10. 4. Food based approach to combat
micronutrient deficiencies
• Developed fortification methods with iron and
iodine for prevention of IDA and IDD.
• Demonstrated its beneficial effects in preventing
the reduction in Hb levels among girls.
• Developed simple kits to check the content of Iron
and Iodine in fortified salt.

11. 5. National nutrition Surveillance
system (NSS)
• NIN developed national nutrition surveillance
system to serve as an early warming system about
nutrition problems.
• NSS helps to initiate appropriate strategies to
ensure optimal nutrition to the risk groups.
• Helps to assess the extent of achievement of
targets by providing in-built mechanism of
evaluation against the targets.

12. 6. National nutrition programmes
• Initiated national prophylaxis programme against
blindness due to Vitamin A deficiency, covering 30
million pre-school children in India.
• Instrumental in formulation of national anaemia
prophylaxis programme to supplement pregnant
and lactating women and pre-school children.
• Helped to improve nutritional status of pregnant
and lactating women and birth weight of infants.

13. 7. Human resource development
• Trained over 1600 health professionals from 35
countries.
• 150 candidates obtained Ph. D/ MD degrees
from various universities.
• International agencies such as WHO and FAO
recognized NIN as a Centre for excellence in
food quality, safety and nutrition.

14. 8. Other achievements
• NIN scientists received national and international
awards for their research contributions.
• Published over 3000 scientific publications in peer
reviewed national and international journals with
high impact factors.
• Publishes periodicals in different languages and
over 20 popular publications on food health and
nutrition.