Statsguru: Reduced calorie intake in India's food patterns over the decade

Over the past decade, India has seen a major change in the pattern of food intake, with both rural and urban populations consuming fewer calories daily in 2023-24 (August-July) than in 2011-12 (July-June). Notably, rural areas experienced a sharper decline of 13.4 per cent (from 2,752 to 2,383 kilocalories per person per day) compared to urban areas’ 8.4 per cent drop (from 2,700 to 2,472 kilocalories). As such, the calorie intake difference between villages and cities narrowed over the period. The rich saw the highest calorie reduction in both rural and urban areas. Former chief statistician Pronab Sen explains that the decline in calorie intake among the wealthy stems from a dietary shift towards protein and fat-rich foods over traditional cereals. He further elucidates that reduced physical activity among those from the higher-income class also contributes to their lower caloric needs.

 

As cited above, rural areas experienced a greater decline in calorie consumption than urban parts over a decade. Besides, a villager on an average consumed less calories than their urban counterpart in 2022-23. A sharper decline in calorie intake in rural areas than in urban parts is not a cause for concern but a reflection of better quality of consumption due to the rising income of villagers, Sen explains. (Chart 1) 

 

The rich reduced calorie intake more than the poor in both rural and urban areas. (Charts 2 and 3)  

 

Rural nutrition in calorie terms dropped in every Indian state between 2011-12 and 2023-24. (Chart 4) 

 

Urban calorie intake moved down over the period in every state, except Bihar. (Chart 5) 

 

India’s peers in per capita income saw a similar level of calorie consumption in 2023. (Chart 6)