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Survey finds 60% of urban India protein deficient
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Wednesday, 04 February, 2026, 14 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Bengaluru
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A nationwide survey commissioned by Country Delight in collaboration with LocalCircles has revealed that nearly 60% of urban Indians are not consuming protein-rich foods daily, highlighting a significant nutrition gap despite growing health awareness. The study, one of the largest of its kind, gathered over 2.07 lakh responses from consumers across 25 major metro and urban districts in India.
The findings indicate a widespread lack of protein awareness among urban consumers. Around 74% of respondents were unaware of the recommended daily protein intake for an average adult, while 85% admitted they do not track their daily protein consumption. Additionally, over half of those surveyed did not associate common health issues such as fatigue, muscle loss and weak immunity with protein deficiency.
Only four out of ten urban Indians reported including protein-rich foods such as lentils, eggs, milk, paneer, fish or nuts in their daily meals. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), healthy Indian adults should consume between 0.66 and 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, underscoring the scale of the existing gap.
Affordability emerged as the primary barrier to adequate protein intake, followed by taste preferences and dietary restrictions. While protein-rich foods are readily available in markets, cost and awareness continue to limit regular consumption. Encouragingly, 71% of respondents expressed willingness to switch to more affordable protein alternatives if accessible.
Commenting on the findings, Dr Vishakha Shivdasani, a physician specialising in lifestyle disease reversal, said protein deficiency contributes to poor immunity, muscle loss, metabolic disorders and declining cognitive health, and should be viewed as a foundational nutrient rather than a fitness trend.
Chakradhar Gade, CEO & co-founder of Country Delight, said the study reinforced the need for affordable, convenient and natural protein options. In response, the company has launched High Protein Cow’s Milk offering 2X protein per serving, produced using natural filtration technology without additives.
Country Delight has also partnered with HRX to launch “Mission Protein”, a nationwide initiative aimed at improving protein awareness and access across India.
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