1. Junk, Out
Data shows that Indians consume less fried foods and aerated drinks and more of healthy things than before. In the latest survey, around 25% of men and 16% of women in the 15-49 age group consumed aerated drinks at least once a week, up from 32% and 24% respectively in 2015-16. Most people prefer fried food occasionally, but only 7% of women and 9% of men consume such things daily. Both figures are down marginally.
In contrast, both genders are now consuming healthier foods like eggs and leafy vegetables more often. More than half of men (58%) eat eggs weekly, up from 50%. More than half (52%) of women now eat dark green leafy vegetables—a major source of fiber—on a daily basis, more than 47%.
However, fruits are a relatively uncommon part of the Indian diet, with only 12% of respondents consuming one daily.
2. Non Veg Grow
The consumption of non-vegetarian food – fish, chicken or beef – has increased rapidly across India. At least 57% of men now eat such foods at least weekly, compared to 49% in 2015-16. The increase is more pronounced in the more disadvantaged groups: 16 percentage points in the poorest quintile, but just 6 percentage points among the richest; 10 percentage points among the least educated and 7 percentage points among those who completed school. However, among women, the overall share increased only marginally, from 43% to 45%.
Experts say that economics is going on here. Himanshu, an associate professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, attributed the rising consumption to a fall in the relative prices of commodities such as chicken and eggs, which have made them more accessible and affordable to poorer groups. “A large proportion of marginalized communities like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are naturally non-vegetarians, but these items were inaccessible due to high prices,” he said.
3. Protein Problems
NFHS data also confirm the role of gender in nutritional intake. Women are less likely to consume protein. To measure this, we looked at consumption patterns of milk or yogurt and eggs—both cheap and accessible sources of protein.
While 81% of men in their teens (aged 15-19) consume milk or yogurt at least once a week, the same is true for only 70% of women. Similar gaps exist for eggs in all age groups. Since women are less likely to eat fish, chicken or meat, their overall protein intake may be a cause for concern.
However, women in the three southern states – Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu – are more likely to frequently eat both milk and eggs. Women in West Bengal (83%), Tripura (75%), and Sikkim (72%) have higher weekly egg consumption. The consumption of both types of products is low in the central Indian states.
4. Rural and Urban
The data shows that thanks to higher income levels, city dwellers eat both healthy and unhealthy foods more often than those in villages. While 86 per cent of urban men consume milk or yogurt at least weekly, only 77 per cent of their rural counterparts do so. 66% of urban men frequently consume fruits, but only 51% of rural men. Similar differences exist among women, and of every food item listed by the NFHS, rural women are least likely to have their share at least once a week.
Pulses and green leafy vegetables are universal to both rural and urban Indians. However, fried foods and aerated drinks are more common in cities.
Wealthy families are often more likely to eat all foods except non-vegetarian food, for which there is no notable tendency. One-third of the richest 20% of Indians consume an aerated drink at least once a week, while one-sixth of the poorest 20%.
5. Growing Sobriety
The survey showed that contrary to belief, young Indians are significantly less likely to drink than middle-aged. Furthermore, the wine has lost some appeal since the last survey.
While 12% of men aged 20-34 drink at least once a week, the share rises to 19% in those aged 35-49 – down from 15% and 22%, respectively.
It is extremely rare for women to drink alcohol, with less than 1% saying they use alcohol. Arunachal Pradesh (18%), Sikkim (15%) and Assam (6%) were the top three states on this metric. Among men, drinking is most common in Goa (59%), Arunachal Pradesh (57%) and Telangana (50%). Bihar saw a sharp decline (from 29% to 17%) as the previous survey was before the prohibition policy. More education and wealth can be linked to less alcohol consumption.
There is also a trend for tobacco: about 39% of men aged 15–49 use any form of tobacco, down from 45%, and for men aged 50–54 the share is much higher (53 %) Is.