Mangaluru: As traditional food habits rapidly give way to processed, Western-style diets, Nitte (Deemed to be University) has joined a global initiative to document and study heritage diets before they disappear, with researchers hoping these age-old eating patterns could unlock new insights into preventing chronic diseases.The World Diet Initiative launched by researchers from 12 countries and published in the journal ‘Nature Medicine’, seeks to create the world’s most comprehensive database of traditional diets while examining their effects on human health.Prof Dr Anirban Chakraborty, director of the Nitte University Centre for Science Education & Research (NUCSER), will lead the initiative’s regional network in India. The project brings together scientists, nutrition experts and public health researchers from across the globe to study food traditions that have evolved over centuries.Drawing attention to the region’s own culinary heritage, Dr Chakraborty said the traditional diet of Mangaluru’s fishing communities revolves around the “rice-fish-coconut” triad, reflecting a food culture deeply connected to seasonal harvests and the day’s catch. Like many other heritage diets worldwide, it has evolved from locally available ingredients and time-tested cooking practices.Researchers say such traditional diets are increasingly being replaced by industrially processed foods, resulting in the loss of valuable knowledge about how diverse food systems influence human health. Communities that continue to follow these diets often report lower incidences of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.The initiative has two major components. The World Diet Atlas will document heritage diets across the globe, detailing the foods consumed, methods of sourcing, preparation and eating practices. The information will be made freely available to researchers, policymakers and communities. The World Diet Project will scientifically examine how these diets affect the immune system, metabolism and gut microbiome using standardised research methods, allowing comparisons across different populations.The consortium will operate through regional research partners, with each institution retaining ownership of its data while contributing to the global knowledge base.“We are excited to be part of this initiative, and believe research of this nature is the need of the hour,” said Prof MS Moodithaya, vice-chancellor of Nitte (Deemed to be University).The initiative builds on recent research in Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro region, where participants who shifted from a traditional diet rich in legumes, whole grains and fermented foods to a processed Western diet developed increased inflammation and other biological changes linked to chronic diseases within just two weeks. In contrast, those who switched back to traditional diets or consumed a fermented millet-and-banana drink showed improvements in markers associated with better health.Researchers emphasise that the project is not an attempt to romanticise traditional diets or claim they are universally healthier. Instead, they hope to understand how culturally distinct food systems influence the body’s immune responses, metabolism and microbiome, potentially informing future nutrition and disease-prevention strategies worldwide.
