The changing food scenario and the middle classes in the emerging megacity of Hyderabad, India

Abstract

While poverty levels are declining in India, concerns over food and nutrition are increasing. In the changing food scenario of globalising urban India two contradictory trends can be recognised: The first concerns the underprivileged urban dwellers who are still highly exposed to food insecurity and hunger. Deficient diets cause severe incidence of malnutrition particularly among women and children. The second major trend concerns the rapidly changing food consumption patterns and diet transition among the emerging urban middle classes. Due to economic growth and new lifestyle choices their demand for greater variety of food products has never been as it is at the present. Supermarkets and fast food outlets mushrooming all over the big cities are just one indicator of this. This paper analyses the changing food scenario in the emerging megacity of Hyderabad. It starts by providing an overview of recent trends in the food provision and retail system, then, goes into changes in food purchasing and dietary patterns among Hyderabad's middle classes and covers nutrition related health issues. Finally, the issue of localising sustainable food practises is discussed. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.