Nutrition transition: Focus should now be on diet quality, protein shifts

More importantly, the wide disparities in calorie consumption between the poorest and the wealthiest have narrowed significantly, signalling a welcome reduction in nutritional inequality

The National Statistics Office recently released the Nutritional Intake in India report. Analysing the data from the Household Consumption Expenditure Surveys (HCES) for 2022-23 and 2023-24, the study offers several insights into India’s evolving dietary patterns. The findings suggest stability in average daily per capita calorie intake, with rural India recording 2,233 kcal in 2022-23 and a marginal dip to 2,212 kcal in 2023-24. Urban India shows a similar plateau, with 2,250 kcal and 2,240 kcal for the respective years. While this seems reassuring, India’s nutrition landscape reflects both progress and persistent challenges. A particularly encouraging trend is the improvement