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Dear Shravani,

Thank you for your question.

Adolescence or teen age is a critical period of our lives in which our body undergoes rapid changes, growth and development. It is very essential to consume a healthy balanced diet with adequate amount of protein and other nutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamin D etc., which will help support growth, development, pubertal changes and strong bones.

An adolescent girl should take enough calcium rich foods in her diet to support the increase of bone density and maintain healthy strong bones. Some of the calcium sources include milk, cheese, paneer, Ragi, curd, yougurt.

Reference ideal body weight and height for 18-year-old female can be considered as 53.8kg and 161.1cm height.

The causes of underweight or unintended weight loss can be due to genetics, inadequate food intake, stress, hormonal imbalance, malabsorption or other underlying health condition.

In any weight management programme, it is very essential to consume a healthy diversified balanced diet with few dietary modifications and regular physical activity. For weight gain it is essential to focus on your daily balanced diet with high calorie, high protein and regular meals. With any weight gain diet, changes take time to reflect as your body requires sufficient time to adapt to the changes in order to show results.

A high calorie and high protein diet is recommended for weight gain. Daily protein requirement should ideally be followed as 46.2g per day. Some of the sources of high protein include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds etc.

Here are few guidelines that can be considered

-        Having a Healthy Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning. Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs.

-        Maintain a positive energy balance where the calorie intake should be more than the energy expenditure.

-        Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs. Some of the energy dense foods include Whole wheat, Multigrain, millets, dairy products, nuts, colocasia leaves, banana, raisins, pulses/lentils etc.

-        Do not skip meals. Eat small frequent meals.

-        Three major meals a day with healthy nutritious snacks in between is preferred.

-        Try to increase the serving size and portion size gradually and systematically

-        Include healthy fats from nuts and seeds.

-        Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to maintain hydration

-        Indulging in physical activity can help in increasing the appetite and give a feeling of hunger.

-        Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead!

Hi Bhavya Garg,

Thank you for the question.

Adolescence or teenage is a critical period of our lives in which our body undergoes rapid changes, growth and development. It is very essential to consume a healthy balanced diet with an adequate amount of protein and other nutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamin D, etc., which will help support growth, development, pubertal changes and strong bones.

Gaining muscle mass requires specific exercise regimen followed by appropriate dietary changes, especially in terms of good quality proteins balanced with appropriate calories, which should be done under professional guidance.

Some of the nutrients that support healthy muscles include protein, calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Vitamin B6 & B12. Some of the food sources rich in these nutrients include milk and milk products, green leafy vegetables, lentils, chickpeas, whole grains, nuts, etc. Include these foods in your daily balanced diet.

Reference ideal body weight for a 15-year-old male can be considered as 51.5 kg with 166.3 cm height.

A high-calorie and high-protein diet is recommended for weight gain. Daily protein requirement should ideally be followed as 45g per day with 2860 kcal per day. Some of the sources of high protein include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds etc.

Here are few guidelines that can be considered

- Having a Healthy Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning. Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs.

- Maintain a positive energy balance where the calorie intake should be more than the energy expenditure.

- Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs. Some of the energy dense foods include Whole wheat, Multigrain, millets, dairy products, nuts, colocasia leaves, banana, raisins, pulses/lentils etc.

- Do not skip meals. Eat small frequent meals.

- Three major meals a day with healthy nutritious snacks in between is preferred.

- Try to increase the serving size and portion size gradually and systematically

- Include healthy fats from nuts and seeds.

- Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to maintain hydration

- Indulging in physical activity can help in increasing the appetite and give a feeling of hunger.

- Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead

Hi Prathviraj Meena,

Thank you for the question.

WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2nd level indicator of overall health.

It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)

Following is the WHO BMI Classification

18.5 to 24.9 - Normal

Less than 18.5 - Underweight

25 to 29 - Overweight

Above 30 - Obese 

As per WHO BMI (Body Mass Index) classification, a person weighing less than 18.5 kg/m2 is considered underweight.

The causes of underweight or unintended weight loss can be due to genetics, inadequate food intake, stress, hormonal imbalance, malabsorption or other underlying health condition.

A high calorie and high protein diet is recommended for weight gain. Daily protein requirement should ideally be followed as 0.8-1g protein per kg body weight. Some of the sources of high protein include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds etc.

Here are few guidelines that can be considered

-        Having a Healthy Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning. Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs.

-        Maintain a positive energy balance where the calorie intake should be more than the energy expenditure.

-        Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs. Some of the energy dense foods include Whole wheat, Multigrain, millets, dairy products, nuts, colocasia leaves, banana, raisins, pulses/lentils etc.

-        Do not skip meals. Eat small frequent meals.

-        Three major meals a day with healthy nutritious snacks in between is preferred.

-        Try to increase the serving size and portion size gradually and systematically

-        Include healthy fats from nuts and seeds.

-        Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to maintain hydration

-        Indulging in physical activity can help in increasing the appetite and give a feeling of hunger.

-        Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead.

Dear Priya Patole,

Thank you for your question.

Digestive quotient is a qualitative test which gives an indicator score out of 100 for overall digestive health. Recommendations of improvement are given at the end of the test basis Individual inputs and answers.

The daily recommended amount of dietary fibre is 30g for men and 25g for women

Here are a few guidelines for general digestive health.

- Do not skip your meals, have small frequent meals at regular intervals.

- Eat a well-balanced diet including minimum 5 serving of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit in a day as they are good sources of fiber and essential nutrients such as vitamin A, Vitamin B, iron, zinc etc.

- Include prebiotics such as banana, soyabean, garlic etc., good sources of probiotics like yogurt, buttermilk etc., to maintain a healthy gut.

- Try to include whole grains like wheat, millets and multigrain in your diet as they are a good source of fiber and other nutrients.

- Limit intake of fiber and dairy in case of loose stools/diarrhoea

- Avoid large, heavy meals, and practice portion guidance.

- Deep fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.

- Try to limit the foods like caffeine, spices, raw onions etc.

- Food should be eaten slowly and chewed well as fast eating provokes gastric feeding reflex.

- Avoid lying down immediately after your meal consumption

- Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day

- Have a gap of minimum 2-3 hours between bedtime and your last meal

- When purchasing packaged foods, read labels to look for words such as ‘contains fibre’, ‘high fiber’ etc.

- Engage in physical activity for a minimum of 30-45 minutes for at least 5 days a week.

- Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.   

Increased abdominal fat can happen due to sedentary lifestyle, excess intake of high fat foods, hormonal imbalance and/or an underlying health condition. Please contact your health professional for further diagnosis and assistance.

A sustainable and healthy weight loss regimen, should target on overall weight loss and fat reduction. Weight loss requires a holistic approach that involves lifestyle modification which includes Dietary modification, Physical activity and stress management. With any weight loss plan changes take time to reflect as your body requires sufficient time to adapt to the changes in order to show results.

An ideal weight loss meal plan should include calorie deficit diet with appropriate exercise regime followed under professional guidance.

However here are few objectives to be considered when planning to start with a weight loss program.

Count Your Daily Calories

• It is recommended to consume 500kcal less than your average, daily, current dietary intake of calories to target on 2-3kg weight loss per month (ideally 0.5kg per week).

• This target is a healthy& sustainable way of reducing and then maintaining the weight loss.

• The first step hence is “counting your daily calorie intakes”. Counting your daily calorie intake is proven to be effective when on a weight loss diet. You can use applications/apps freely available, that will help you count your calories to keep a track on your daily calorie intake and physical activity levels.

• These apps will also help you to track your hydration & sleep patterns which also impact your weight.

• Ideal body weight for an individual can be calculated using the Broca Index (BI) which is: Ideal Standard Weight (kg) = Ht (cm) – 100

• WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2nd level indicator of overall health.

It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)

Following is the WHO BMI Classification

18.5 to 24.9 - Normal

Less than 18.5 - Underweight

25 to 29 - Overweight

Above 30 – Obese

General Dietary Guidelines for weight loss that can be considered:

- Eat a well-balanced diet that includes all the 5 food groups (cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, milk & milk products).

- Do not skip your meals. Have small quantity of meals at regular intervals.

- Choose healthy snacking options in between your meals.

- Monitor your portion size.

-Try to include whole grains like wheat, millets and multigrain in your diet as they are a good source of fiber and other nutrients.

-  Fiber in your meals can potentiate the satiating property, suppress excess hunger and control food intake. All fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts & seeds etc., are a good source of fiber.

- Try switching from saturated fats and trans fats to MUFA (mono-unsaturated fatty acids) & PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) as they are essential fatty acids and are good for your health.

- Consume fresh, seasonal fruits as they contain many essential nutrients and are good sources of fiber.

 - Carbonated and alcoholic beverages to be limited or preferably avoided.

- Deep Fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.

- Minimum of 8 glasses of water should be consumed to keep yourself hydrated.

- Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before Bed time.

- Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

Some Physical Activity Tips:

Engage in at least 30-45 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity such as walking for at least five days a week.

For further assistance you can book a call for free dietitian consultation on our website. https://www.callr.live/aashirvaadexperts/Book-Appointment. 

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions please contact your Health care professional or any registered dietician.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead.

Dear Babita Chowdhury,

Thank you for your question.

Dietary fiber also known as roughage is a type of carbohydrate, It’s a component of the plant which is resistant to digestion by the enzymes in the human system. It is considered to be an essential component of your daily balanced diet.

Diets with a high content of fibre tend to have  positive effect on health like-

• Improves bowel function

• Adds bulk to stool and promotes regularity

• Helps reduced calorie intake due to the feeling of satiety (as fiber promotes a feeling of fullness).

• Regulates blood sugar level

• Regulates blood pressure

• Helps lowers total and LDL cholesterol thereby reducing the risk of heart diseases.

• Helps support growth of healthy gut bacteria and overall digestive health. 

Some of the good sources of fiber are as follows:

·       Vegetables such as green beans, peas, cauliflower, garlic, carrot, tomato etc.

·       Fruits including banana, apple, and citrus fruits like orange & sweet lime.

·       Whole grains- whole wheat, millets, multigrain, wheat bran, oats etc.

·       Dried beans, Legumes, Nuts & Seed

Daily RDA for fiber as per NIN, ICMR is: 25g per day for females & 30g per day for male

You can look out for products with claims on being “source or rich in” fiber also to be included as a part of an overall diversified balanced diet.

Sustainable weight management requires a holistic approach which involves lifestyle management which includes Dietary modification, Physical activity, hydration, and stress management. With any weight loss plan changes take time to reflect as your body requires sufficient time to adapt to the changes in order to show results.

Any surgery (minor or major) will have its own post-surgery challenges and after care procedures which should be followed diligently to allow the body to recover in a healthy manner. Please contact a health care professional for further assistance to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable manner

Sharing with you some dietary tips and guidelines for your weight loss journey

An ideal weight loss meal plan should include calorie deficit diet with appropriate exercise regime followed under professional guidance.

However here are few objectives to be considered when planning to start with a weight loss program.

Count Your Daily Calories

• It is recommended to consume 500kcal less than your average, daily, current dietary intake of calories to target 2-3 kg weight loss per month (ideally 0.5kg per week).

• This target is a healthy & sustainable way of reducing and then maintaining weight loss.

• The first step hence is “counting your daily calorie intakes”. Counting your daily calorie intake is proven to be effective when on a weight loss diet. You can use applications/apps freely available that will help you count your calories to keep a track on your daily calorie intake and physical activity levels.

• These apps will also help you to track your hydration & sleep patterns which also impact your weight.

• Ideal body weight for an individual can be calculated using the Broca Index (BI) which is: Ideal Standard Weight (kg) = Ht (cm) – 100

• WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2nd level indicator of overall health.

It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)

Following is the WHO BMI Classification

18.5 to 24.9 - Normal

Less than 18.5 - Underweight

25 to 29 - Overweight

Above 30 – Obese

General Dietary Guidelines for weight loss that can be considered:

- Eat a well-balanced diet that includes all the 5 food groups (cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, milk & milk products).

- Do not skip your meals. Have small quantity of meals at regular intervals.

- Choose healthy snacking options in between your meals.

- Monitor your portion size.

-Try to include whole grains like wheat, millets and multigrain in your diet as they are a good source of fiber and other nutrients.

-  Fiber in your meals can potentiate the satiating property, suppress excess hunger and control food intake. All fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts & seeds etc., are a good source of fiber.

- Try switching from saturated fats and trans fats to MUFA (mono-unsaturated fatty acids) & PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) as they are essential fatty acids and are good for your health.

- Consume fresh, seasonal fruits as they contain many essential nutrients and are good sources of fiber.

 - Carbonated and alcoholic beverages to be limited or preferably avoided.

- Deep Fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.

- Minimum of 8 glasses of water should be consumed to keep yourself hydrated.

- Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before Bed time.

- Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

Some Physical Activity Tips:

Engage in at least 30-45 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity such as walking for at least five days a week. (As you have mentioned your surgery history, please contact your health care professional and fitness expert for appropriate physical activity guidance)

For further assistance you can book a call for free dietitian consultation on our website. https://www.callr.live/aashirvaadexperts/Book-Appointment. 

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions please contact your Health care professional or any registered dietician.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead.