59 S. Rastogi (ed.), Ayurvedic Science of Food and Nutrition, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-9628-1_6, © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014 6.1 Introduction The prevalence of chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is now reaching epidemic proportions in the developing countries [1]. Indeed, India already has the highest number of diabetic and prediabetic patients in the world, reaching 62.4 million and 72.7 million, respectively [2]. A recent study from the Indian Council of Medical Research–INdia DIABetes (ICMR– INDIAB) showed that the weighted prevalence of diabetes (both known and newly diagnosed) in the urban population of Chandigarh (14.2 %) was the highest, followed by Tamil Nadu (13.7 %), Jharkhand (13.5 %), and Maharashtra (10.9 %). At every age interval, the preva- lence of diabetes in urban areas was higher compared with rural areas [2]. This national estimate shows a trend of an increasing number of people with diabetes in India over the last decade [3]. The cause behind the huge epidemic is the alteration of dietary patterns with a rise in refined-grain consumption due to growing industri- alization and the country’s economic conditions. A natural method of precaution that entails using functional foods present in foods may be one of the most benefi- cial measures in combating the growing epidemic of diabetes. 6.2 Changing Face of India The evolution of current dietary and food habits of Indians reflects the agricultural and industrial revolutions of the country. The Bengal famine resulted in an acute decline in food production in India. The so-called Green Revolution, in the context Chapter 6 Integrated Food and Nutrition in the Management of Diabetes Ruchi Vaidya, Sudha Vasudevan, K. Manobala, R.M. Anjana, and V. Mohan R. Vaidya • S. Vasudevan • K. Manobala • R.M. Anjana • V. Mohan (*) Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialties Centre WHO Collaborating Centre for Non Communicable Diseases Prevention & Control, IDF Centre of Education, Gopalapuram, Chennai, India e-mail: drmohans@diabetes.ind.in; www.drmohansdiabetes.com; www.mdrf.in