Trends and patterns in nutritional intake in India

Abstract

According to Nutritional Intake Survey Series, conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), there has been slow, but steady decline in consumption of calories and proteins, but the consumption of fat has been increasing both in rural and urban India. Unlike calorie and protein, the difference in fat intake between rural and urban areas is pronounced. In the country,the States belonging to north eastern region seem to be lagging in terms of nutritional intake when compared to the national average. Among calorie, protein and fat, it is the protein where relatively lesser number of States in the country have exhibited positive trend during 2004-05 and 2011-12. In terms of calorie intake, about 39 percent of country's population remains undernourished. However, there has been a decrease of about 33 million people who registered to have deficient intake of calories during 2004-05 and 2011-12. With rise in food expenditure among rural and urban masses, there has been less than proportionate increase in calorie, protein and fat intake. Yet, relatively higher propensity has been witnessed to consume more of fat with the rise in food expenditure.