Dietary intake and rural-urban migration in India: a cross-sectional study

Liza Bowen, Shah Ebrahim, Bianca De Stavola, Andy Ness, Sanjay Kinra, A V Bharathi, Dorairaj Prabhakaran, K Srinath Reddy, Liza Bowen, Shah Ebrahim, Bianca De Stavola, Andy Ness, Sanjay Kinra, A V Bharathi, Dorairaj Prabhakaran, K Srinath Reddy

Abstract

Background: Migration from rural areas of India contributes to urbanisation and lifestyle change, and dietary changes may increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases. We tested the hypothesis that rural-to-urban migrants have different macronutrient and food group intake to rural non-migrants, and that migrants have a diet more similar to urban non-migrants.

Methods and findings: The diets of migrants of rural origin, their rural dwelling sibs, and those of urban origin together with their urban dwelling sibs were assessed by an interviewer-administered semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. A total of 6,509 participants were included. Median energy intake in the rural, migrant and urban groups was 2731, 3078, and 3224 kcal respectively for men, and 2153, 2504, and 2644 kcal for women (p<0.001). A similar trend was seen for overall intake of fat, protein and carbohydrates (p<0.001), though differences in the proportion of energy from these nutrients were <2%. Migrant and urban participants reported up to 80% higher fruit and vegetable intake than rural participants (p<0.001), and up to 35% higher sugar intake (p<0.001). Meat and dairy intake were higher in migrant and urban participants than rural participants (p<0.001), but varied by region. Sibling-pair analyses confirmed these results. There was no evidence of associations with time in urban area.

Conclusions: Rural to urban migration appears to be associated with both positive (higher fruit and vegetables intake) and negative (higher energy and fat intake) dietary changes. These changes may be of relevance to cardiovascular health and warrant public health interventions.

Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1. Response rate in the Indian…
Figure 1. Response rate in the Indian Migration Study.
Figure 2. Sibling pair differences in z-scores†…
Figure 2. Sibling pair differences in z-scores† for nutrients and food group intake (migrant – rural sibling), adjusted for differences in age.
† z-scores were generated by log-transformation of the original food intake, followed by sex standardisation based on the sex-specific distribution of the rural participants.
Figure 3. Sibling pair differences in z-scores†…
Figure 3. Sibling pair differences in z-scores† for energy-adjusted nutrients and food group intake (migrant – rural sibling), adjusted for differences in age.
† z-scores were generated by log-transformation of the original food intake, followed by sex standardisation based on the sex-specific distribution of the rural participants.

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Source: PubMed

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