Millions Of Indians Die Every Year Due To Poor Diet, 71% Can't Afford A Healthy Meal: Report
70% of Indians in India can't afford a healthy diet, and 1.7 million die every year due to diseases attributable to poor diet, says a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine.
According to a PTI report, deaths happen due to diseases attributable to dietary risk factors, including respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes, and coronary heart disease, the report 'State of India's Environment 2022: In Figures' said.
Why is a healthy diet unaffordable for Indians?
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, a healthy diet is considered unaffordable when its cost exceeds 63 percent of a person's income. The report refers to diets low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and diets high in processed meat, red meat, and sugary drinks.
"Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. The global average is 42 percent, "it said, citing the Global Nutrition Report, 2021.
What is a healthy diet?
Contrary to standards of a healthy diet, the diet of an average Indian lacks fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. It said that the consumption of fish, dairy, and red meat is within target.
In India, adults aged 20 and above have only 35.8g of fruit per day against the recommended 200g per day and just 168.7g of vegetables per day as against the minimum 300g per day.
They only consume 24.9g of legumes per day (25 percent of their daily target) and 3.2g of nuts per day (13 percent of their daily target).
"Despite some progress, diets are not getting healthier. Additionally, they are making increasing demands on the environment even as unacceptable levels of malnutrition persist in the country, "the report said.
The report adds, "The high human, environmental, and economic costs of continuing on our current trajectory are so significant that we will pay a far higher price if we fail to act. The global food system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment."
The report has also made an analysis of food prices.
According to the report, consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has risen 327 percent in the last year, while the consumer price index (CPI), which includes CFPI, has risen 84 percent.
"Food seems to be the biggest mover of CPI inflation." The current high levels of food inflation have been driven by the rising cost of production, surging international crop prices, and extreme weather-related disruptions.
"Our analysis of data shows that food prices have increased at a higher rate in rural areas than in urban areas in March-April 2022," said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor, Down To Earth.
(With inputs from PTI)
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