Rice today, roti tomorrow: diets and diabetes in urban Indian households

Abstract

In India, where diabetes is a growing concern and approx-imately 69 million are affected, we investigate the factorsthat influence diet management, a critical component of livingwith the disease. Taking the middle-income diabetes-affectedhousehold as our unit of analysis, we use a combination ofsemi-structured interviews and a design probe to understandif and how diets are monitored, tailored, and balanced. Weresearch the various information-seeking behaviors of ourparticipants and their culturally situated approaches to foodand eating. Our findings illuminate how contextual nuancesshape individuals’ beliefs around dealing with diabetes andthe ways in which family, friends, and broader social net-works influence dietary decisions. We conclude by offeringa framework ofLearning-Being-Doingto inform the holisticdesign of technologies for managing diets and diabetes.