Protein - An Irreplaceable Nutrient
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the significance of health to us. It emphasized the current need of creating sustainable well-being in our society and also for future generations without breaching environmental guardrails. Hence, the theme for World Health Day 2022 is “Our Planet, Our Health”. Through this, World Health Organisation (WHO) aims global attention on urgent actions essential to keep humans and the planet healthy and to build societies focused on well-being.
COVID-19 increased online search for health-related information by people to be fit and achieve optimal health status. Focusing on fitness, muscle mass is considered as an indicator of good health status but regrettably, it is also something that we usually neglect. Low muscle mass or poor muscle health is associated with lower physical function, poorer quality of life, reduced independence, reduced productivity, and shorter survival. Muscle mass is mostly considered an area of relevance to a gym-goer or a sportsperson. However, the fact that muscle health is important for normal, healthy people too to carry out their day-to-day activities effectively is most often overlooked. In India, a study in 2018 showed that muscle health of 7 out of 10 Indians is poor. A quick way to estimate muscle strength & postural stability is the One leg standing time or the One leg stance test – OLST indicates age-related decline in muscle strength.
Muscle mass plays a pivotal role in energy, strength, and mobility of an individual. It also backs the ability of living a healthy and productive life. Good mobility (exercise/physically active lifestyle) has shown to reduce risk of numerous health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, depression, and certain types of cancer. Not only does it reduce disease risk, but it also enhances your bone health, stamina, and endurance too.
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggests that those who remain physically active tend to live longer and healthier lives. Research has shown that moderate physical activity—such as 30 minutes a day of brisk walking significantly contributes to longevity.
To avail of these various benefits with exercising, one needs good muscle strength and adequate muscle mass both of which necessitate sufficient protein consumption. Adequate protein consumption ensures muscle mass synthesis and contributes to muscle strength of an individual. Physical activity (such as strength training) in addition to protein consumption is important for muscle building or synthesis.
You won’t be surprised to know, Indians primarily eat cereal-based food, and 60 percent of protein is derived from cereals that have poor digestibility and quality. In addition to this, rapid modernization, changes in lifestyle, and amplified processed food consumption have decreased protein consumption both in rural and urban households compared to a decade ago. There is declining trend in the consumption of protein rich foods like pulses and milk.
So why is Protein Important?
In our body, proteins are a part of every cell and tissue, including our muscles. Protein is the main component of muscles. Excluding water, muscles are composed of about 80% protein, making this nutrient especially important for muscle synthesis. Dietary protein is an indispensable macronutrient for muscle mass function, maintenance, bone strength and density. Protein supplementation along with exercise has shown to increase muscle synthesis, increase muscle mass and thus, contribute to the strength (and stamina) of an individual. Adequate protein intake with exercise preserves muscle mass and limits age related muscle loss.
Other roles of protein include immunity. “Protein” plays a key role in immune system function. Proteins are referred to as building blocks since they are involved in the repair of cell and tissues. Our fighter cells (immune cells) that fight against infection and contribute to immunity, rely on proteins for their functioning. Hence, protein plays a major role in our fight against any infection and in maintaining the overall defence system of our body.
On an average, the protein requirement for a healthy adult is 0.8-1g/kg body weight. However, surveys show that 9 out of 10 Indians have a diet deficient in protein. This necessitates more awareness and focus on improving the protein intake in the diet. Protein rich foods which must be included in the diet are eggs, lean chicken, fish, milk and milk products, soya, pulses, dals and nuts. A wholesome, nutritious diet with emphasis on protein and other essential nutrients can help in improving strength and mobility which eases our daily functioning that helps in living a better quality of life.
On this year’s World Health Day let’s prioritise healthy and active living. After all, adding life to years is more important than just adding years to life.
