Indian men, women now taller but still fall short of optimal standards

Study suggests increase in optimal weight reflects height gain

Last month, a National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) report was headlined in the media as an increase in the “ideal” weight of Indians. The decadal report, titled “Nutrient Requirements for Indians 2020: Recommended Dietary Allowances & Estimated Average Requirements”, raised the “reference body weight” for men by 5 kg to 65 kg. But unlike what was widely reported, the reference weight for women has not been increased and remains 55 kg. In 2010, NIN had raised the reference weight for women by 5 kg to 55 kg.

What does it mean in layman terms?

A reference body weight represents what