What underlies inadequate and unequal fruit and vegetable consumption in India? An exploratory analysis

Choudhury, Samira; Shankar, Bhavani; Aleksandrowicz, Lukasz; Tak, Mehroosh; Green, Rosemary; Harris, Francesca; Scheelbeek, Pauline; Dangour, Alan D.

Abstract

Adequate consumption of fruit and vegetables is key to improved diet-related health in India. We analyse fruit and vegetable consumption in the Indian population using National Sample Survey data. A series of regressions is estimated to characterise the distribution of household fruit and vegetable consumption and explore key socio-economic and food system drivers of consumption. Household income and price are important correlates, but consumption is also higher where households are headed by females, are rural, or involve agricultural livelihoods. Caste is an important source of inequality, particularly amongst those with low consumption, with Scheduled Tribes consuming less F&V than others. We also find preliminary evidence that formal agricultural market infrastructure is positively associated with fruit and vegetable consumption in India.

Citation

Choudhury, S., Shankar, B., Aleksandrowicz, L., Tak, M., Green, R., Harris, F., Scheelbeek, P., & Dangour, A. D. (2020). What underlies inadequate and unequal fruit and vegetable consumption in India? An exploratory analysis. Global Food Security, 24, Article 100332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2019.100332

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 25, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Nov 7, 2019
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 13, 2019
• Journal: Global Food Security
• Electronic ISSN: 2211-9124
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 24
• Article Number: 100332
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2019.100332