Most Indians Non-Vegetarian; Men More Than Women, South And East Most
New Delhi, May 22: India’s Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has been advocating vegetarianism on grounds of religion and ideology, the latest being an effort by Indian Railways railways to enforce vegetarian menus on all trains on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, Oct. 2.
However, around 80 percent of Indian men and 70 percent of women consume eggs, fish, chicken or meat occasionally, if not weekly, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of national health data. But their daily diet tends to be vegetarian, consisting of milk or curd, pulses or beans and dark green and leafy vegetables.
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Overall, 42.8 percent Indian women and 48.9 percent men consumed fish, chicken or meat weekly, according to the National Family Health Survey, 2015-16.
It is important to assess the average diet of an Indian because both malnutrition and obesity are a problem: 53.7 percent women and 22.7 percent men are anaemic and 22.9 percent of women and 20.2 percent of men are thin (with body mass index of less than 18.5), while 20.7 percent of women and 18.9 percent men are overweight or obese, according to the same data.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had recently courted controversy when it tweeted an image that grouped non-vegetarian foods such as eggs and meat with junk food, implying that both cause obesity. The image was subsequently deleted.
In 2015, Madhya Pradesh government had banned eggs from meals served in anganwadis or day-care centres allegedly due to pressure from Jain groups.
These moves come despite the recommendations of the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, which advocate the consumption of protein-rich animal foods such as milk, meat, fish and eggs–and plant foods such as pulses and legumes.
“Animal proteins are of high quality as they provide all the essential amino acids in right proportions, while plant or vegetable proteins are not of the same quality because of their low content of some of the essential amino acids” said NIN’s dietary guidelines.
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The Indian Railways are now planning to celebrate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a vegetarian, as ‘vegetarian day’. It plans to serve only vegetarian food on its premises and appeal to all its employees to abjure meat that day, reported Times of India on May 21, 2018.
Dietary risk, including poor diet–low in fruits, vegetables, whole grain but high in salt, fats–is the third biggest risk factor for death and disability in India after air pollution and malnutrition, IndiaSpendreported in November, 2017.
In Women, 37.4 Percent Have Eggs, 36 Percent Fish, Chicken Or Meat Weekly
More men than women eat non-vegetarian food in India; almost three in ten women do not consume eggs (29.3 percent) and chicken, fish or meat (29.9 percent) compared to two in ten men who do not consume eggs (19.6 percent) and chicken, fish or meat (21.6 percent).
Among women between the age of 15-45 years, 45 percent have milk and curd, 44.8 percent have pulses or beans, and 47.2 percent have dark green, leafy vegetables daily, while 37.4 percent eat eggs and 36.6 percent eat fish, chicken or meat weekly. Almost half–51.8 percent–of them have fruits occasionally.
Among men between 15 and 45 years of age, 46.2 percent have milk and curd, 46.5 percent have pulses or beans, 46.6 percent have dark green, leafy vegetables daily ,while 44.7 percent eat eggs, 43.3 percent eat fish, chicken or meat weekly and 47.6 percent have fruits occasionally.
Age, Marital Status, Geography, Wealth And Caste Are Factors
Weekly consumption of food items is not the same for all groups and follows different trends. But those over 19 years tend to eat more eggs and any kind of meat every week.
Among men, the highest consumption of eggs and meat was among those who were never married (50.5 percent for eggs and 49.2 percent for fish, chicken or meat). Also, urban men (53.8 percent for eggs, 52.8 percent for fish, chicken or meat) eat more non-vegetarian food than rural men (47.1 percent for eggs, 46.5 percent for fish, chicken or meat).
Among women, the highest consumption of eggs and meat was among those who were widowed or divorced or deserted (41.5 percent for eggs and 47.4 percent for fish, chicken or meat).
Education appears to decide the choice of vegetarian/non-vegetarian foods. Those who have studied up to five years eat the highest amount of eggs and meat–men (54.2 percent and 57.6 percent) and women (48.2 percent and 51.8 percent).
Among religions, Christians consume eggs and meat the most–men (71.5 percent and 75.6 percent) and women (64.7 percent and 74.2 percent). This is followed by Muslim men (66.5 percent and 73.1 percent) and women (59.7 percent and 67.3 percent).
The highest consumption of eggs and fish, chicken or meat is among those who said they did not know their caste–men (49.2 percent and 51.6 percent). This holds true for women as well for eggs; for fish, chicken and meat it is highest in ‘other’ caste.
And while the consumption of eggs and meat increases with household wealth, a lower percentage of men and women among the richest 20 percent Indians consume eggs and meat.
Most Meat Eaters In Kerala, Fewest In Punjab
Data on women show that Kerala (92.8 percent), Goa (85.7 percent) and Assam (80.4 percent) have the highest weekly consumers of fish, chicken or meat, while Punjab (4 percent), Rajasthan (6 percent) and Haryana (7.8 percent) rank the lowest.
Figures for men show that Tripura (94.8 percent), Kerala (90.1 percent) and Goa (88 percent) are the highest weekly consumers of fish, chicken or meat, while Punjab (10 percent), Rajasthan (10.2 percent) and Haryana (13 percent) are the lowest.
The consumption of meat on a weekly basis is high in the northeast and south India. It is the lowest in the north for both the genders.
(Yadavar is a principal correspondent with IndiaSpend.)
This article has been published in arrangement with IndiaSpend.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
