From cereals to millets: examining the factors affecting household food choices in rural and urban India

Abstract

Globally we are experiencing what is known as Nutrition Transition which is characterized by diet patterns transformation because of the transition from subsistence to more modern economic systems. On the demand and supply sides, India's food habits too are changing. Consumers in metropolitan areas are the driving force behind this trend, which is accompanied by significant shifts in the ways that food is produced and distributed. Across the board in India's more urbanized and prosperous regions cereal consumption has decreased which is one of the characteristics explaining this phenomenon. A disproportionately high number of obese and overweight domestic women are from wealthy urban households in India. Given this, it is crucial to perform study on the dietary patterns of the affluent urban and rural population in India. There exists a robust association between the shift in dietary patterns and a heightened dependence on processed and detrimental food products. The prevalence of diet-related noncommunicable illnesses is responsible for 71% of global mortality. Recent studies have emphasized the significance of persons consuming a sufficient number of meals that are both nutritional and environmentally sustainable, considering the current trends. There is a proposal to shift towards foods that are both rich in nutrients and sustainable, and that are also integrated into alternative food networks. Simultaneously, by progressively transitioning towards healthier dietary choices the consumers are also becoming more aware of the importance of consuming wholesome and nourishing food. The share of affluent population recognizes importance of food quality and actively pursues food that’s high in quality as well as offers beneficial health benefits.