Indian Nutrition Software – “ DietCal – A Tool for Dietary Assessment and Planning”

Dietary calculations of various nutrients is an essential requirement of any Clinical and Research
setup dealing in nutrition. In a hospital setup, most of the burden on a Dietician is on calculations
involving various nutrients, be it planning individualized therapeutic diet or feed formula for an indoor
patient or assessing nutritional status and planning follow up diets for outdoor patients, all of these
require extensive nutrient calculations.
In a scientific research setup, nutrition based studies demand calculations of more than 40
nutrients for a minimum of three days of food intake for each subject (24 hr recall) or intake by food
frequency method. In a community based nutrition research project involving a minimum of 500
subjects, these nutrient calculations can take time in months thus putting a huge burden on the
Nutritionist. Also, the precision and the reliability of the data generated manually becomes
questionable.
In this era of modernization and keeping with the fast pace of working, an Indian nutrient based
software that will help to do all the above, will prove to be a boon and will reform the working
modalities of professionals dealing in Nutrition. “DietCal – A Tool for Dietary Assessment and Planning”
is an attempt towards this vision. This software has enabled all of the above at the click of a mouse with
precision, thus enabling improvised patient care on one hand and promoting more nutrition based
clinical and community researches on the other. It has been extensively used by Dieticians, Lecturers,
Students, Phd scholars, Doctors and Research organizations like ILSI, PHFI, CCDC, N-DOC, SAI, INCLEN,
TERI, DFI, IARI and so on, all over the Country.
The newer version of the DietCal software has been updated with the new Database from the
book – Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables.
National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, 2017. (Commonly referred to as
IFCT 2017) with due permission from the Director, NIN.
DietCal is a simple, user friendly software, easy to install and above all in a price that fits the
pocket of a student also. It is a sincere effort and contribution of a Nutritionist to her Fraternity to help
improve the nutritional status of their patients or subjects of their research. Some of the features of this
software are :
The utilization of the software can be divided into two major categories. For Regular use-To help
us in our day to day calculations and For Research use - to help us in research work.

In Regular Use Section

 Planning Quick Diet charts with accuracy you otherwise cannot achieve manually.
 Nutrient Calculation - You can get the values of all 177 nutrients for each food item added in the
list of your diet chart and also their sum total.
 Invisible Fat - You can calculate the amount of invisible fat contributed by various food items
before you prescribe the amount of visible fat.
 Nutrient Adequacy over Phone- Using this section, you can assess the nutrient adequacy of an
Individual over the phone itself.
 Planning Liquid formula for tube fed patients - You can plan a liquid formula using a
combination of kitchen based and commercially available products with their calculation of
electrolytes in seconds.
 Disease Specific Calculations- If you wish to calculate the carbohydrate intake at each meal of a
diabetic or distribution of soluble fibre in his diet OR you wish to calculate the branched chain
amino acid content of a milk based vegetarian diet OR calcium intake by a menopausal woman
OR phosphate content of an ICU feed formula or plan a low potassium, low phosphate diet for a
renal patient OR assess calorie intake of your obese follow up OR assess the nutritional
 adequacy of a weaning foods OR prepare a list of fruits with their potassium content in
descending order and for many more such needs, this section provides the solution.
 Percent Edible portion - You need not have to remember the edible weight of a big banana or
that of a walnut and of many more food items.
 Add Recipes and know their Nutritive value – There is a vast diversity in foods prepared in
different regions of our country. Rasam prepared in Chennai is different from that prepared in
Kerala. Not just they differs in taste but also in their ingredients and hence their nutritive value.
In today’s era of super specialization, before assessing the nutritional status of a patient,
knowing his regional specific recipes is very important. Standardization of recipes is easy but not
calculating its nutrient content per serving. This software enables you to add unlimited recipes
and get value of all 177 Nutrients at the click of a mouse. You can get nutrient values per
serving of the recipe or in terms of various household measures. You no longer have to hunt
for calorie value of a Dosa or the protein content of a Paneer paratha . You can add recipes
according to the community you are dealing with and know its nutritive value for all 177
nutrients. Using recipes specific to the region will help in augmenting the accuracy when you
prescribe diets or assess intakes of your patients / subjects belonging to different parts of our
country.
 Recipes Added – Commonly used north Indian recipes have been standardized and added with
in depth details and photographs. Method of preparation, amount of each ingredient added
including Spices , amount in each katori and many other details has been pictorially explained.
The software will be regularly updated with various regional recipes.
 Explain food items in various Regional Languages - You can explain food items to your patients
in their regional language. Also if an individual is explaining some food in his local language you
can find its name in your own language. This helps in enhancing your counseling skills. Names of
food items in 19 different Indian languages are added in the software.
 Pictorial display of 431 food items and of all Recipes added will further assist in better
interaction with your patients / subjects. Against most food items you will find its photo as well
as its name in 20 Indian languages. Also photos of various varieties of the same food, for e.g 21
varieties of brinjal have been collectively put to help you and your patient/ subject to choose
easily.

In Research Use section

 Multiple Research Projects – You can store and analyze data of not just one but as many
Research projects as you can handle.
 No Limitation on Number of Subjects – You can add any number of subjects in your project.
Basic information of each subject with their codes & dates of interview can be added.
 BMI Calculator – The software calculates the BMI of your each subject.
 Dietary Intake Methods - Nutrition based research requires nutritional assessment of your
subjects by various Intake methods - 24 hour recall (Three day or multiple days) or Diet record
or Quantitative food frequency method. This section helps you to utilize all these methods
efficiently. In food frequency method, you need not have to manually calculate the intake per
day.
 Flexibility in Data Entry - You can quickly add any number of food intakes of a subject.
Strategies to save time taken for entries, editing or deleting data have been incorporated.
 Data Analysis of a Project at the click of a Mouse - Conventionally, intakes of subjects were
taken in a questionnaire. Each recipe from the dietary intake of the subject was converted into
its raw food ingredients. Against each raw ingredient, all the nutrients required were calculated
 individually and then their sum total taken. This total was then put into the excel sheet for 1st,
2nd and 3rd day recall and then the average calculated. Nutrient calculation for three day recall
of a single subject never took less than two days even if it was for as many as 10 nutrients only.
So, for a research project having 100 subjects or above, and aiming at more than 30 nutrients,
the time required for analysis used to be in months.
“In DietCal, the values of all 177 nutrients for each day’s intake for all the subjects
involved in the project can be calculated at a click of a mouse. The table thus generated can
directly be taken for statistical analysis. Hence, the time saved is in months”.
 Multiple Nutrient Analysis – For any research project the nutrient analysis manually could never
exceed more than 10 nutrients. This software helps to do multiple nutrient analysis from the
same data thus facilitating more publications.
 Analysis by Food Group - Summary of amount of different food groups eaten by each subject of
your project can also be generated.
 Easy merging with other data - You can easily merge nutrient data of the subjects with other
data such as anthropometry or biochemical parameters.
 Permanent Storage of Food intakes - Conventionally, we always saved the Nutrient analysis of
our subjects even after the completion of the project. Food intakes of each subject recorded in
the questionnaire could not be stored for years. This software helps you to save all the intakes
of each of your subject. This enables you to do multiple nutrient analysis even years after
completion of your project.

General
 Based on the Indian Nutritive values of foods – The newer version of the DietCal software has
been updated with the new Database from the book – Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K,
Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of
Medical Research, 2017. (Commonly referred to as IFCT 2017).
 The data base of the earlier version of the software was that given by National Institute of
Nutrition (NIN), Indian Council of Medical research. (“Nutritive Value of Indian Foods” by C.
Gopalan, B.V.Rama Sastri and S.C.Balasubramanian. Revised & updated by B.S.Narasinga Rao ,
Y.G.Deosthale & K.C Pant, National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR), Hyderabad, India. Reprint 2012).
 Add More Nutrients to the list- In addition to 177 Nutrients already added in the software you
can add as many Nutrients on your own.
 Add more food items to the list - In addition to 542 food items given by NIN, there is a provision
to add as many foods as you wish. Please note that there is a source of information (IFCT, NIN
2017) provided against each nutrient of all 542 food items fed in the software. Similarly it is
mandatory for you to put the source of information for each nutrient value added for a food
item by you.
 Scientific Names- You can explore foods from different countries using the Scientific Names
added in the software.
 View All Nutritive value at Glance - Values for all nutrients for a food item along with their
source of information can be visualized at the click of a mouse which can help you to answer the
nutrient related queries of your patients instantly. For e.g What is the phosphorous content of a
handful of Walnuts?
 Provision of Household Measures - Data can also be stored in this software in various
household measures pertaining to a specific region. Dietary intakes can thus be taken in terms
 of weight of edible portion, sizes, bowl, spoon, or other household measures specific to that
region.
 User Guide with detailed explanation of each section of the software is provided. Data
credential document and various PPT’s on “How to Install the software”, “Using Sorting and
filtering options in the software” are provided so that you can use this software without
requiring any help.
 Backups - There is a quick provision to take Backups of your data so that in case of any mishap
you can reinstall the software and restore your data .You can reinstall the software as many
times but in the same computer.
 Password facility to secure your software is also provided.
 Updates - This software is regularly updated. The update of the software can be downloaded
from www.dietcal.in. More information can be obtained by writing to info.dietcal@gmail.com.

Gurdeep Kaur
M.Sc (F&N), R.D
Department Of Dietetics
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
New Delhi
M – 09911184904
gur1305@gmail.com.

List of DietCal Users

Organisations : Public Health foundation of India (PHFI), Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC)
International Clinical Epidemiology Network (The INCLEN Trust), International Union Against
Tuberculosis & Lung Disease (UNION), Sports Authority of India (SAI), Diabetes Foundation of India
(DFI), National Diabetes Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation (N- DOC), The Energy and Resources
Institute (TERI). Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI),
Research projects supported by UNICEF.

Colleges : Lecturers / Research Scholars / Master Students of the following colleges using DietCal :
Allahabad- Centre of Food Technology, College of H.Sc - Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture,
Technology and Sciences (SHIATS) Banasthali – College of H.Sc Bangalore - Mount Carmel College
Bhopal – Govt. SNGGPG College. Bhagalpur- PG Dept of H.Sc, TMBU. Bilaspur - Govt. Bilasa Girls P.G.
College Chandigarh – Govt. H.Sc College Chennai – Ethiraj , Women Christian College, Dept. of Clinical
Nutrition-Sri Ramachandra Univ., Queen Mary’s Coimbatore - PSG College of Arts & Science, Dept. of
Food Service Management & Dietetics - Avinashilingam University for Women Durg – Govt. Dr W.W.P.
Girls P.G College Ernakulam – St Teresa’s Faridabad – Dept. of Nutrition & Dietetics - Manav Rachna
Univ. Gandhigram – Dept. of H.Sc - Gandhigram Rural Institute Gwalior - Govt. KRG PG College
Hazaribarg - Dept. of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics - Vinoba Bhave Univ. Hissar – Dept of Foods &
Nutrition - Haryana Agriculture University Indore- M.L.B Govt. Girls P.G College Jabalpur- Govt. MH
College of H.Sc & Science for Women Jaipur- Dept. of H.Sc - IIS Univ., Dept. of Foods & Nutrition- MJRP
Univ., Dept. of H.Sc – Univ. of Rajasthan Jalandar- Lovely Univ. Kanya Maha Vidyalaya Jorhat – Dept. of
Food Science & Nutrition- Assam Agricuture Univ. Kolkata – Dept. of H.Sc - Univ. of Calcutta,
Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College Kurukshetra – Dept. of H.Sc - Kurukshetra Univ.
Ludhiana- Dept. of Food & Nutrition - Punjab Agriculture University, Govt. Girls College Lucknow -
School of H.Sc - Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Univ. Manipal- Dept. of Allied Hospitality Studies-
WGSHA- Manipal Univ. Manjeri – KAHM Unity Women’s College Meerut- Meerut College Mumbai- SVT
College of H.Sc –SNDT Univ., Nirmala Niketan College, Dr BMN College of H.Sc Muzaffarpur –MDDM
College, Bihar University. New Delhi - Lady Irwin College , Institute of Home Economics, Indira Gandhi
Institute of Physical Education & Sports Sciences, Bhaskarachary College, Department of Anthropology-
Delhi Univ., Centre of Social Medicine & Community Health- JN Univ., Department of Physical Education
- Aryabhatta College Palampur- Dept. of Food Science, Nutrition & Technology -CSKHP Agriculture Univ.
Parbhani - College of H.Sc- VNMKV Patiala- Dept. of Sports Sciences- Patiala Univ., Govt. College for Girls
Pune – SNDT College of H.Sc, Symbiosis Institute of Biomedical Sciences Raipur – Govt. D.B. Girl P.G.
College Salem – Dept. of Food Science & Nutrition - Periyar Univ. Srinagar- Institute of H.Sc – Univ. of
Kashmir Tirupati- Dept of H.Sc - Sri Venkateshwara Univ. , Dept. of H.Sc - Sri Padmavati Women’s Univ.
Trivandrum – Govt. College for Women, Dept of H.Sc- Agriculture Univ. Udaipur – College of H.Sc - MP
Univ. of Agriculture & Technology (MPUAT) Vadodara – Dept. of Foods & Nutrition - M.S Univ.

Hospitals : Dieticians / Doctors / Research Scholars of the following Hospitals using DietCal :
Amritsar - Amandeep Bangalore – ESIC , Fortis , Columbia Asia Bilaspur - Care N Cure Multispecialty
Hospital Bhopal- National, Bansal , Agrawal , Akshaya, Manoria Heart, Sharda Calicut – Malabar
Chandigarh – PGIMER (Dept of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Dietetics, Advance Paed. Centre), Govt.
Medical Specialty Hospital Sec – 16, Govt. Medical College & Hospital Sec -32 Chennai - The MMM, SRM,
RGGGH Cochin – Silverline , Amrita Institute of Medical sciences Coimbatore –Ganga Dehradun - ONGC
Ernakulam – Lourdes Faridabad - Asian Guntur - MSRA Gurgoan – Medanta Indore - Choithram ,
Greater Kailash , Geeta Bhawan , SAIMS Jalandhar - PIMS Ludhiana – DMC, Suman Luknow - Sahara ,
Jagrani Manipal - Kasturba Meerut - Lok Priya Mumbai – B.Y.L Nair Nagpur – Care , Diabetes Care N
Research Centre New Delhi - All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Dept. of Dietetics, Endo, Biochem,
Gastro & HNU, Paed, Medicine, Physiology, Geriatrics, Gyne, Pulmonary Medicine, Cancer, Cardio,
Neuro, Trauma), Vimhans, Max Healthcare, Makkar, Fortis Escorts , Kalavati Saran , Indraprastha Apollo
, Fortis La Femme, Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences Noida - Metro Puducherry - Pondicherry Institute
of Medical Sciences Pune - Jehangir , Sassoon General Hospital, ARMC Raipur - Aarogya , Shree
Narayana Hospital Solapur – SCSMG Srinagar – Dept of Gastro - SKIMS Thrissur – Elite Mission , Govt.
Mental Health Centre Trivandrum – Lord’s Hospital, Regional Cancer Centre, S.K Hospital, ESI,
Providence Endoocrinology and Diabetes Specialty Centre, PRS Varanasi- Heritage Vellore – CMC (Dept.
of Dietetics, Community Medicine)