The Impact of Diets on Non-Communicable Diseases: Evidence and the Next Steps

India’s public health landscape has undergone a significant epidemiological transition over recent decades, with non-communicable diseases now accounting for the majority of morbidity and mortality while infectious diseases continue to pose important public health challenges. Demographic change, increasing life expectancy, rapid urbanization, economic development, and changing lifestyles have all contributed to this shift. At the same time, evolving food systems and dietary patterns have transformed the country’s nutritional landscape, making diet an increasingly important determinant of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic conditions. These health risks are further shaped by broader social, commercial, and environmental influences that affect dietary behaviours and access to healthy foods across the life course. 

Recognising the growing role of nutrition in shaping population health, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center launched the webinar series, “The Impact of Diets on Non-Communicable Diseases: Evidence and the Next Steps” which has attracted over 1,000 registrations. Bringing together researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and public health practitioners, the series examines how nutrition can inform the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases while strengthening the translation of scientific evidence into policy and public health practice. 

Across the sessions, discussions consider life course risk, maternal nutrition, dietary assessment, nutrition surveillance, regulatory approaches, and opportunities for coordinated action across sectors. By fostering dialogue across disciplines and sectors, the series provides a platform for advancing evidence-informed policies and collaborative public health action that support healthier populations in India.