PUBLIC HEALTH

NUTRITION-I
NATIONAL AGENCIES ENGAGED IN FOOD AND NUTRITION SUBMITTED TO: DR. UTTARA
ACTIVITIES SUBMITTED BY: OSHIMA
• ICMR 1020/21
• NIN PGD(ND)
ICMR(INDIAN COUNCIL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH)

INTRODUCTION

The ICMR, New Delhi, is one of the oldest medical research body in the world and apex body in India.
❑ The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is the premier national agency for the -planning -
formulation -co-ordination -implementation -conduct or promotion of biomedical research in India.
❑ In 1911, the Government of India set up the Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA) with the
specific objective of sponsoring and coordinating medical research in the country.
❑ After independence, several important changes were made in the organization and the activities of
the IRFA.
❑ It was renamed as ICMR in 1949, with expanded scope of functions & responsibility.
❑ The ICMR is funded by the Government of India through the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
❑ The council not only plans & promotes medical research & emerging health problems of
the country but also is expected to build strong national group of professional persons
in organization of skilled biomedical scientists.
❑ Rapid advances in science & technology have brought in new technologies to
understand the disease process & find strategies for prevention & cure.
❑ The policies of ICMR coincide with national health policies such as -control and
management of communicable diseases, -fertility control, -maternal and child health,
-control of nutritional disorders, -developing alternative strategies for health care
delivery, -safety limits of environmental and occupational health problems,
Non-communicable diseases including cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, ophthalmic
and haematological disorders.
MANDATE

❖ Apex body in India for formulation, coordination and

promotion of biomedical research
❖ Conduct, coordinate and implement medical research for the
benefit of the Society
❖ Translating medical innovations in to products/processes
and introducing them in to the public health system
VISION
Translating Research into Action for Improving the Health of the Population.

MISSION
Generate, manage and disseminate new knowledge.
Increase focus on research on the health problems of the vulnerable, the
disadvantaged and marginalized sections of the society.
Harness and encourage the use of modern biology tools in addressing health
concerns of the country.
Encourage innovations and translation related to diagnostics, treatment,
methods/ vaccines for prevention.
Inculcate a culture of research in academia especially medical colleges and other
health research institutions by strengthening infrastructure and human resource.
OBJECTIVES
✔ To make scientists aware of the need and responsibility to protect new
knowledge generated through intellectual property rights, ownership of
biological and other materials and data generated using ICMR funds
and facilities.
✔ To develop procedures at ICMR institutions to capture, assess and
protect new intellectual property generated.
✔ To provide ICMR scientists information demand relating to patents in
their areas of interest by maintaining appropriate national and
international databases.
✔ To provide appropriate technological professional and legal expertise
and services to assist ICMR scientists to file patents in India and
abroad.
✔ To encourage and provide all support to universities and other
institutions for protecting and commercializing new knowledge
generated with ICMR support.
✔ To develop a licensing policy that ensures the maximal public health
benefit and a fair return on investment from ICMR research.
✔ To develop and implement a royalty policy at ICMR institutions that
encourages innovative scientists and technology generators through
a system of royalty sharing and reward system.
✔ To serve in an advisory capacity to the Indian Government on IP
related issues concerning public health.
✔ To forge appropriate strategic alliances with national and
international Science and Technology agencies and industry to
market its new inventions and develop professional knowledge
network for ICMR’s technology management professionals.
 MAIN ACTIVITIES
ICMR promotes biomedical research in the country through intramural as
well as extramural research. Over the decades, the base of extramural
research and also its strategies have been expanded by the Council.

Intramural research is carried out currently through the Council's

i. 21 Permanent Research Institutes/Centres which are mission-
oriented national institutes located in different parts of India and
address themselves to research on specific areas such as
tuberculosis, leprosy, cholera and diarrhoeal diseases, viral diseases
including AIDS, malaria, kala-azar, vector control, nutrition, food &
drug toxicology, reproduction, immunohaematology, oncology,
medical statistics, etc. and
ii. 6 Regional Medical Research Centres which address regional health
problems, and also aim to strengthen or generate research
capabilities in different geographic areas of the country.
 Extramural research is promoted by ICMR through:
(i) Setting up Centres for Advanced Research in different research
areas around existing expertise and infrastructure in selected
departments of Medical Colleges, Universities and other non-ICMR
Research Institutes;
(ii) Task force studies which emphasise a time-bound, goal-oriented
approach with clearly defined targets, specific time frames,
standardized and uniform methodologies, and often a multicentric
structure; and
(iii) Open-ended research on the basis of applications for grants-in-aid
received from scientists in non-ICMR Research Institutes, Medical
colleges, Universities etc. located in different parts of the country.
NIN(NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NUTRITION

HISTORY
THE FOUNDER
National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) was founded by Sir
Robert McCarrison 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
seven years, this unit blossomed into a "Deficiency
Disease Enquiry" and later in 1928, emerged as
full-fledged "Nutrition Research Laboratories" (NRL)
with Dr. McCarrison as its first Director. 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).
STEPPING STONES
NIN has attained global recognition for its pioneering studies on
various aspects of nutrition research, with special reference to
protein energy malnutrition (PEM). Institute’s activities are
broad-based, encompassing the whole area of food and
nutrition. The Institute has achieved close integration in its
research activities between the laboratory, the clinic and the
community.

The emphasis shifted to problem-oriented research, with a view

to discovering practical solutions to nutrition problems that can
be applied within the existing socio-economic framework.
National Institute of Nutrition, over the Century years of glorious
service to the nation, has to its credit an impressive record of
achievements in the amelioration of several nutritional disorders
of our people.
 VISION
ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF MALNUTRITION FOR A PROGRESSIVE
HEALTHY INDIA

MANDATE
• Periodic Assessment of Nutrient intakes, Health and Nutrition status of the
population for optimal health, and assist the Government and regulatory bodies in
policy making
• Establishment of Dietary Reference Intake values, Recommended Dietary
allowances, Dietary guidelines for Indian population; and assessment of Nutrient
Composition of Foods
• Identify various nutrition deficiency disorders prevalent among different segments
of the population
• Conduct operational research for planning and implementation of National Nutrition
Programmes in the country.
• Conduct surveys and study the risk factors of NCDs through
multidisciplinary research.
• Conduct innovative basic science research on nutrient metabolism,
interactions, requirements and responses
• Identify and study food and environmental safety challenges for
providing scientific input for policy and regulation.
• Development of human resource in nutrition and also provide
evidence-based nutrition knowledge to the community.
 OBJECTIVES
1. To identify various dietary and nutrition problems prevalent among different
segments of the population in the country.
2. To continuously monitor diet and nutrition situation of the country.
3. To evolve effective methods of management and prevention of nutritional problems.
4. To conduct operational research connected with planning and implementation of
national nutrition programmes.
5. To dovetail nutrition research with other health programmes of the government.
6. Human resource development in the field of nutrition.
7. To disseminate nutrition information.
8. To advise governments and other organisations on issues relating to nutrition
WHAT NIN DOES?
Provide Evidence
Evidence based inputs on food and nutrient consumption patterns; trends in nutrition
status of population across age and physiological groups; Micro and Macronutrient values
of foods, maternal and child nutrition, NCD biomarkers, Environmental pollution/toxins
affecting health, Drug nutrient interaction, Nutrition and immune response.

Providing Guidelines
Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), Dietary Guidelines for Indians, Diet and
Diabetes, Diet and Heart Diseases, Diet during Pregnancy (region-specific guidelines),
Nutrition and Infection

Influence Policies
National Nutrition programmes such as Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS),
Mind-day Meal (MDM) programme, Clinical Management – Severe Acute Malnutrition
(CM-SAM) & many state level Nutrition programs; Vitamin A prophylaxis, Iron and Folic
Acid Supplementation, Double Fortification of Salt (DFS) with iron and iodine,
Recommendations on vegetable oils Food fortification guidelines to the Food Safety and
Standards Authority of India (-FSSAI), Food and ground water regulations (yellow
mustard, flourosis, lead)
Raise Awareness
We broaden knowledge and understanding of how nutrition and balanced diets coupled
with physical activity and lifestyles can help improve mental and physical wellbeing and
how they can reduce communicable and non-communicable diseases by developing
tools, sharing best practices, and holding engaging public events. NIN Mob App, e-
Learning modules and host of videos and pamphlets

Developing Human Resource

Two full time MSc courses, short term certificate courses, Ph.Ds, two training programes
for medical college faculty and public health personnel, Anthropometry assessment,
Nutrition & Dietary assessment, National fluorosis training, PCT for regulatory bodies,
Animal handling. Added to these, custom-made training programmes on demand in adhoc
mode

Need based support during public health emergencies

Extending support to Governments/ICMR to explore, assess and combat public health
issues and outbreaks – Kidney diseases in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh; deaths in
tribal areas of Attapady in Kerala, Food and water borne illnesses in Bholakpur area of
Hyderabad, Rapid assessment of nutritional status of children in areas affected with acute
encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Muzzaffarpur, CoVID 19 and so on