Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) has completed one of the world’s largest nutrition and biomarker surveys, covering 2.6 lakh individuals in 183 districts across the country and generating nationally representative data on diet, physical activity, anemia, and nutritional status.
The survey titled as SAMPADA (Survey for Assessment of Markets of Population Health, Activity Diet and Anthropometry) was started in 2023 and completed in 2025. The data collected during the survey are currently being analysed.
The survey is crucial for generating region-specific data on diet, nutrition, and health and identifying hidden forms of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. This would in result help the policymakers to make informed decisions. The data will also aid in designing targeted interventions to address both undernutrition and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in India. The survey spearheaded by ICMR-NIN is the first of its kind Diet and Biomarkers Survey of India (DABS-I), making it a landmark initiative in the country.
