In the article “Nutrition transition in India,” Shetty discusses how the upper class in developing countries, specifically India, are consuming more calories, and are receiving a larger portion of those calories from animal based products. This is leading to an epidemic of non-communicable diseases, which is commonplace in the industrialized world, but has yet to be seen in the developing world. 40 percent of deaths in the developing world are now caused by non-communicable disease, and 75 percent of deaths in the industrialized world are caused by non-communicable diseases.
Studies of the rapidly urbanizing of populations, occurring in developing countries, has shown the relationship of genetic and environmental causes of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. When migrants adopt the diet and lifestyle of the native population, they tend to acquire similar diseases as the native population, but in some instances their genetic differences can cause them to be more prone or more resistance to certain non-communicable diseases (Shetty, 2002). Also, residents of urban areas tend to have a higher BMI because of a more sedentary lifestyle, and higher caloric consumption (World Health Organization). As Indian society develops, and urbanizes, the standards of living increase. Unlike already developed nations, in which there are higher rates of obesity among the poor, it is the upper class in India that are showing higher rates of weight gain and obesity.
In Urban areas of India, there is a socio-economic divide of obesity rates. Urban residents that make up the upper class have obesity rates of 32.2 percent for males, and 50 percent for females. Among the middle class, 16.2 percent of males, and 30.3 percent of females suffer from obesity. For the urban poor, many of which live in slums, the obesity rate for males is only 1 percent, and 4 percent for females (Shetty). The change in energy intake as income increases is generally not a shift towards higher caloric intake, but a shift in diet favoring increased intake of animal based fat and protein, and sugar, and a decrease in the consumption of vegetable fat and protein (World Health Organization). In India, those in the upper income strata consumed a diet in which 32 percent of the energy was derived from fat, while those in the lower income strata consumed a diet in which only 17 percent of the energy was derived from fat (Shetty). However, when caloric intake does increase, it is almost always because an increase in animal fat and protein consumption. In a diet of 2000 kcal, the fat calorie ratio is 10 percent, but for a 3600 kcal diet, the fat calorie ratio is 41 percent, showing the increase of input from animal based fats going from 29 percent to 64 percent. This increase occurred because of the per capita supply of animal goods increased since 1965 from 7 grams to 12.5 grams in 1999. The income based disparity of caloric intake is most visible in the fact that “40 percent of all edible fat available in India is being consumed by 5 percent of the total population” (Shetty).
A healthy diet, and weight loss prevention necessitate the inclusion of vegetables, fruits, cereals, and grains in ones diet, along with physical activity (World Health Organization). India’s large share in the international production of fruits and vegetables is not evident in its populations consumption of fruits and vegetables. This can be attributed to the fact that much of the agricultural production in India is cash crops that are exported overseas (Shetty).
Time dedicated to physical work has decreased with population transitions to urban areas for work in offices. Physical activity has also decreased because of the increased use of cars, mechanical replacement of once manual jobs, and increased leisure time which is generally dedicated to sedentary activity such as watching television (Shetty). For those with sedentary lifestyles, a fat intake of no greater than 20-25 percent of total energy consumed, is necessary to minimize energy imbalance and weight gain (World Health Organization).
The inverse relationship of animal fat consumption and income, between developing and developed nations, is likely due to the fact that the most caloric dense food found in developed countries are the cheapest. Whereas in developing countries, the caloric dense food is a luxury item the only the wealthy have access too. As the average income of Indians continues to rise, so will the consumption of animal based products and sugar, and thus an increase in the prevalence of non-communicable disease. Through subsidies, and mass production, it is also possible that India will make unhealthy caloric dense foods available to its poorest members, causing an increase of obesity in the poor.
Shetty, P. (2002). Nutrition transition in india. Public Health Nutrition, 5(1A), 175-182.
World Health Organization (WHO). Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation. WHO Technical Report Series No. 894.
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