NEW DELHI: The everyday dietary habits of Indians centred on tea, ‘roti,’ and ‘dal’ are increasingly contributing to declining bone health and early joint problems across age groups, but more so among the young, experts said here Thursday.
According to experts, they are seeing a growing number of patients in their 30s and 40s reporting knee pain, backache, and stiffness, conditions previously more common among the elderly.
Dr Simon Thomas, Senior Director, Robotic Joint Replacements and Orthopaedics at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, said, “Many individuals assume that regular home-cooked meals automatically meet all nutritional requirements. However, repeated meal patterns low in bone-supporting nutrients create gradual deficiencies.”
He said most Indians' dietary patterns contain ‘chai’, ‘roti’ and ‘dal’, which greatly contributes to failing bone health.
Diets lacking adequate calcium, vitamin D, high-quality protein, and essential micronutrients gradually weaken bones and cartilage. Long-standing nutritional deficiencies are emerging as a significant contributor, he added.
Moreover, excessive tea consumption may reduce calcium absorption, while limited sunlight exposure worsens vitamin D deficiency.
Dr Thomas said increasingly, younger patients are presenting with early cartilage thinning and reduced bone density that could have been prevented with timely correction.
What’s more, women remain particularly vulnerable due to lower baseline bone density and hormonal transitions over time.
According to Dr Arvind Mehra, Senior Director and Head of Orthopaedics and Trauma at Paras Health, Gurugram, said, “Across urban and semi-urban India, we are observing a clear shift in the age profile of patients presenting with joint discomfort and early degenerative changes.”
“Nutritional inadequacy, particularly low calcium, vitamin D deficiency, and insufficient protein intake, combined with sedentary routines, is accelerating bone weakening much earlier than expected,” he added.
“Many patients are unaware that everyday dietary habits, if not balanced properly, can silently compromise bone strength over the years. Preventive orthopaedics must begin in the 30s itself, focusing on nutritional correction, structured physical activity, and timely screening. Addressing these gaps early can significantly reduce the future burden of osteoarthritis and fragility fractures,” Dr Mehra said.
Moreover, sedentary lifestyles, prolonged sitting, and limited weight-bearing physical activity further compound these deficiencies, accelerating bone and joint degeneration at a younger age.
Dr. Pankaj Walecha, Director and Head, Robotic Knee and Minimally Invasive Hip Replacement, Sarvodaya Hospital, Faridabad, also said that they are seeing a rise in relatively younger patients who have weak bones and who sustain fractures with trivial injuries.
“Not only this, we are also seeing a rise in young arthritic patients due to cartilage problems. Limited dietary diversity, inadequate protein intake, and physical inactivity are steadily compromising skeletal strength, often years before significant symptoms become clinically evident,” Dr Walecha said.
Dr Thomas emphasised that bone deterioration often progresses silently.
“Persistent joint discomfort, muscle cramps, or stiffness should not be normalised as stress or ageing. Without timely evaluation, these deficiencies can progress to osteopenia or osteoporosis, significantly increasing fracture risk later in life,” he added.
Early screening and preventive action remain critical.
Simple blood tests to evaluate vitamin D and calcium levels, improved protein intake, weight-bearing exercise, and corrective supplementation, when required, can help preserve long-term mobility.
According to the WHO-Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases (WHO-COPCORD), a whopping over 195 million Indians or one in six suffer from arthritis-related pains, with women accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total burden.
The study also found that arthritis pains were the most common self-reported illness in Indian communities, surpassing diabetes and hypertension.
The survey, which covered more than 56,000 people across rural and urban India, further showed that more than 54.44 million Indians live with osteoarthritis, often linked with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. At the same time, 4.22 million have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a crippling condition that can lead to several systemic complications, severe disability and even premature heart attacks and death.
The COPCORD Project was launched by the World Health Organisation-International League of Associations for Rheumatology (WHO-ILAR) to measure the burden of pain, arthritis, and disability in the community, with the aim of improving musculoskeletal health through health education and preventive and control medical strategies.
This story is reported by Kavita Bajeli-Datt of The New Indian Express.