Role of Millets (Shridhanyam) in Prevention and Management of Obesity: A Review Study

Objective: Obesity rates are rising high in the world and is one of the cause of chronic inflammatory disorders. There is a serious need to make changes towards life style. Healthy eating is one of the important behavior modification required to reduce weight. Millets are nutritious, easily digestible, gluten free whole grains, good sources of proteins, fibers, iron, antioxidant also have antiinflammatory effects making them valuable for managing obesity. Methods: Ayurvedic samhitas, Modern literature, Journals, and review articles have been analysed for the study. Result: Millets with the low glycemic index (GI) regulates fat percentage in the body. This promotes weight loss by reduce adipose tissue in the body. It contain dietary fibers which takes longer time to digest thus it prolongs satiety and thereby reducing overall calorie intake and promote weight loss. Millets also have high protein, low fat this properties regulate blood sugar levels, reduce appetite, maintain lean muscle mass and reduce overall calorie intake, thus it helps in management and prevention of obesity. Conclusion: Obesity is a disease that can be caused by combination of factors, to manage obesity controlled and balanced diet is most important. Millets due to their high nutritive value can play significant role in prevention and management of obesity.