The Global Indian = An Obese Indian?

By: Krithi Kankanala; Edited By: Parisa Chatrath

The 90s in India marked the beginning of an economic revolution that stood on the shoulders of young millennials and loans from international financial institutions. But it wasn’t limited to being an economic revolution, it was a cultural revolution that took the country by storm, one piece of fried chicken at a time. 1995 marked the first time that KFC entered the market, altering the taste buds of Indians forever. This alteration in diet and food culture is perhaps one of the most neglected impacts that the opening of the economy and subsequently globalisation has had on the  Indian population. To address this gap, the primary focus of the article involves unpacking the social, cultural, and economic impact of globalisation on the Indian diet.

The science behind it all - A two stage diet transformation:

The typical Indian diet consists of multiple staples, including rice, which undergo substitution with “primary food products that are more prevalent in western diets”. This trend, which is noticed in the first stage of diet transformation as per a research study by the FAO, is supported by the decreasing consumption of rice by Indians, with rice production steadily increasing but per capita consumption declining since 1990-91, which marked the opening of the Indian economy. This shift towards western products is supported by growing disposable incomes of Indians and the new image of rice as an inferior good. With such reclassifications of Indian staples, shifting preferences towards 'superior' or western goods are adopted. However, a segment of the population still demands more rice as their income increases since they consider rice to be a superior product. Besides its status as an inferior good, rice and cereal consumption also decreased due to the lower price of edible oils which was caused by trade liberalization.

Following this first stage of diet transformation, the common Indian “increases their consumption of proteins, sugars, fats and temperate zone products”. The rising consumption of sugars is particularly noticeable in the increased consumption of oils, fats, and specifically the heightened consumption of a carbohydrate-rich vegetable like potato, which is often associated with chips. For an increase in protein intake, the population also witnessed an increase in the consumption of animal products like milk and meat. Besides research explaining the literal physical transformation in our diet, globalization has been continually modifying how we think about food, what we eat, and what sort of food is valuable to us.

Burgers, Women, and Fruits

One of the most common dialogues that echoes through every Indian household is, “It was better in our time, kids these days don’t know what it means to eat good food”. Irrespective of the answer, it truly raises the question - how exactly did the food habits of Indians change with the onset of globalization?

One of the most noticeable changes that has occurred is the widespread acceptance of western food into Indian households. This doesn’t simply involve eating pizzas or pastas out of the home, it also involves cooking such food at least once a week. Consumption of western food isn’t just about globalization, it’s about our preference for western food due to convenience and ease of preparation.  This preference, as expected, extends beyond the confines of a household when consumers choose what to eat outside. A whopping 57% of them choose to eat foods like burgers, pizza or pasta as compared to Indian fast food in a review of fast food chains across the country.

Despite this clear preference towards western food, Indo-western food is India’s adaptable response to globalization. From eating samosa with ketchup or pasta with masalas, Indians are always mixing western sauces and condiments with Indian food or vice versa.

But how did these foods become so common, one might wonder. In line with the traditionally gendered activity of cooking, globalization offered women an opportunity to enter the workforce, combined with the duty of cooking for their families. This shift from handling the home to handling a job and household duties led to a rise in the development and consumption of “convenient” products, including ready-made atta for chapatis, which is an essential food, and ultra-processed foods like noodles and breakfast cereals. The only time the industry seemed to have witnessed a decline was during the pandemic, although it had a sharp recovery in the following years. Even the dip during the pandemic was caused by the lockdown that increased preference for fresh home cooked meals, as compared to using processed products.

This infographic shows the increased percentage share of monthly per capita consumption (MPCE) of processed food over a period of 13 years.

Alongside this clear preference for western and ultra processed food, there has also been a peculiar classification in place wherein non-native fruits are considered “exotic” or “premium” and naturally earn more profits despite their inability to naturally thrive in the existing surroundings, while native fruits which suit the soil and climate of India are lower in this classification. This fascination for foreign fruits and vegetables is seen in their increasing imports over the years. Not just this, but an increasing number of farmers are adopting the growth of “exotic” fruits as they offer up to 50% higher returns as compared to local fruits. 

The unhealthy cocktail

This increase in the consumption of processed foods is also bringing about a boom in non-communicable diseases, or NCDs such as diabetes which has resulted in 530% more deaths in 2020 as compared to 2015. Doctors have increasingly warned that the consumption of an unhealthy diet that focuses on processed foods, along with a sedentary lifestyle due to the workload in the private sector, is forcing India to not just battle malnutrition on one end, but also obesity on the other. This creates a paradox of diseases, both of which require a healthy diet to be solved. And based on the infographics given below, both obesity and malnutrition harm approximately equal amounts of the population. This has led to an increase in the percentage of funds spent by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in ensuring that patients with NCDs have access to treatment.

What does the kitchen hold in the future?

With NCDs on the rise, surveys have revealed that Indians are now more willing to spend on fitness classes and gyms to maintain a healthier lifestyle. While such a trend seems positive, it’s also important to note that a large financially weaker section of Indian society which is now being exposed to processed food as a superior good, due to globalization, will increase its spending on unhealthier and supposedly “modern” foods, thereby increasing their chances of attracting diseases whilst having lower access to modern healthcare.

To counter this movement towards adopting processed foods, the government is encouraging farmers to produce millets since they require less water to grow and are resilient to extreme weather conditions. Alongside increased production, they’ve also been branded to be a “superfood” that can help people have a healthier diet. The comeback of millets has also thrown light on how the Indian diet was disrupted by colonial rule that branded millets as “poor people’s food” shifting agriculture towards cash crops like oilseed, wheat and cotton. This disruption was further aided by the green revolution that exponentially increased the amount of rice and wheat grown across the country.

Alongside encouraging the middle class to take up the consumption of millets as they move away from cereals, the Indian government has introduced schemes such as POSHAN Abhiyan and Anganwadi Services which are aimed at providing nutritious food to pregnant women, mothers and children. Other schemes aimed at encouraging people to have fitness routines include Khelo India and Fit India movement. These schemes are aimed at tackling the primary issues that cause obesity and malnutrition- an unhealthy diet and lack of bodily movement. They have led to an eventual decrease in malnutrition, but recent schemes like Fit India movement lack the grassroots level execution that’s required to make them succeed in the long run.