Nutrition isn't a side note anymore: IISc and Tufts team up to heal through food

India Today

4 days ago

For decades, medical training -- in India and beyond -- has treated nutrition as an optional extra. Doctors graduated with barely a handful of lectures on food, and disease treatment mostly leaned on pills and surgeries. But that script is changing fast.In a landmark collaboration, Bengaluru's Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the US-based Tufts University have signed an agreement to bring nutrition back to the heart of medicine. And not just as an add-on -- as the starting point for healthcare.advertisement"Nutrition is of fundamental importance to the health of people worldwide and is increasingly recognised as a field that has not received as much attention as it deserves,' says Tufts President Sunil Kumar.
"It is widely recognized that food choices and nutrition play a critical role in preventing, managing, and treating diseases, and continuous research and discovery optimises care," says Christina Economos, Dean of Tufts' Gerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.'We envision a multifaceted and flexible approach to training that equips all emerging physician-scientists and health researchers with a strong foundation in nutrition science,' she adds.THE CENTRE THAT COULD CHANGE IT ALLAt the core of this partnership is the proposed Interdisciplinary Centre for Nutrition Science and Medicine (ICNSM), which will be housed at the upcoming Tata IISc Medical School. It will combine the strengths of both institutions -- Tufts' leadership in global nutrition policy and IISc's scientific rigour and tech expertise.'This partnership can provide a platform for discovering disruptive scientific, public health, and systems-level solutions that can catalyse innovative nutritional intervention strategies and policy changes,' says Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc.
The centre will focus on nutrition research across disciplines -- from cancer and cardiovascular disease to immunity, gut health, ageing, and AI-powered dietary tech. It will also look at cultural factors shaping diets, including India's diverse food traditions.FOOD AS MEDICINE, NOT AFTERTHOUGHTWhat's making this alliance especially urgent is the global health reality: most diseases today aren't from viruses or bacteria, but from how we live and eat.Obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and fatty liver disease are rising sharply in India. But paradoxically, child malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies remain widespread.According to Dr Rangarajan, 'Every third child is stunted, and more than 50% of children under 5 years of age are anaemic.' At the same time, India is the global capital of diabetes with over 100 million diabetics and 136 million pre-diabetics.This dual burden -- undernutrition and overnutrition -- demands a more sophisticated, localised approach to food as medicine. The IISc–Tufts centre will tackle just that.advertisement'We anticipate research that will impact our understanding of the role of nutrition in areas like ageing, cancer, obesity, and infectious diseases,' adds Sunil Kumar.FIXING WHAT MEDICAL EDUCATION MISSEDOne key goal of the centre is curriculum change. Nutrition competencies will be woven into the training of physicians and researchers at IISc, creating a new generation of health professionals who treat food not as an afterthought, but a first-line tool.
'Physicians may graduate without the tools or confidence to advocate for or partner with dieticians,' says Economos. 'Medical training often emphasises drugs and surgery, rather than preventing and managing illness through diet. We see this as an area of opportunity.'The centre also plans joint PhD programmes, visiting scholars, and nutrition courses co-developed by Tufts' Friedman School and IISc.GUT FEELINGS AND OLD WISDOMInterestingly, the project doesn't dismiss traditional health systems. In fact, it plans to harmonise cutting-edge gut microbiome research with Ayurvedic concepts like 'food as medicine'.advertisement'We hope to co-develop nutritional aspects unique to Indian culture,' says Dr Rangarajan. 'Traditional knowledge systems will be incorporated where applicable.'This approach respects the unique challenges of food habits and health in India -- a country where rice, roti, fermented foods, fasting, and feast all play a role in how people eat.AI, SENSORS AND PERSONALISED CAREBeyond diets and doctors, this centre also aims to bring technology into nutrition. Sensors, AI, and tele-nutrition will play a big role -- especially in low-resource settings where access to specialists is limited.'Researchers are discovering new ways to monitor a person's health and provide actionable, individualised data in real time,' says Sunil Kumar. 'This is a promising area of investigation.'There's also a plan to develop a tele-nutrition system that delivers real-time nutrition insights to primary care workers -- a game-changer for rural and underserved communities.
BEYOND THE CLINIC: ACCESS, AFFORDABILITY, AND FOOD JUSTICEOf course, no amount of tech or research will matter if healthy food isn't accessible. That's why the partnership isn't just about calories or vitamins -- it's about systems.advertisement'In areas with high levels of poverty and poor access to healthy food, obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases are much higher than average,' says Economos. 'By tackling food access and differentiated health burdens, we can improve outcomes.'This lens is especially relevant in India, where urban poor populations often rely on ultra-processed, low-nutrition food due to cost or convenience.By focusing on food affordability, cultural eating habits, and the economics of supply chains, the centre aims to reshape healthcare at a structural level -- not just the individual.THREE THINGS THIS PROJECT DOES:Builds a new centre at IISc focused on nutrition science and integrative medicineEquips future doctors with real-world nutrition trainingUses AI and tele-nutrition to expand access in low-resource areas
At the heart of it, this collaboration is based on a simple truth: what we eat doesn't just affect how we feel -- it determines how we live. And now, finally, science and medicine are catching up.advertisementAs Economos puts it, 'Nutrition plays a critical role in the prevention, management, and treatment of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Ongoing research and discovery are essential to optimising care.'This time, the prescription might just begin at your plate.- Ends