Food Choices in the Context of Globalizing Food Options among Adolescents in Rural Southern India

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Rebecca E Jones, Emory University; Shailaja Patil, BLDE University (Deemed to be), Vijayapura, Karnataka, India; Ashlesha Datar, University of Southern California; Nida Shaikh, Georgia State University; Solveig A Cunningham, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-01-19
• Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2024 Informa UK Limited
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03670244.2021.2020113
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: ECOLOGY OF FOOD AND NUTRITION
• Volume: 61
• Issue: 4
• Start Page: 422
• End Page: 441
• Grant/Funding Information: This work has been supported by the Drivers of Food Choice (DFC) Competitive Grants Program, which is funded by the UK Government’s Department for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and managed by the University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, USA; however, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK Government’s official policies.
• Keywords: Nutrition transition; India; NUTRITION TRANSITION; FAT; food intake; SUGAR; Globalization; OBESITY; Adolescents; URBAN; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; DIETARY-INTAKE; PATTERN; TRENDS; CONSUMPTION; Nutrition & Dietetics; Science & Technology; OVERWEIGHT
• Research Categories: Agriculture, Food Science and Technology

Abstract

Changes in food choice often accompany globalization and economic growth. These changes have not been well documented in rural settings and among young people. To advance research on food choice, we demonstrate adolescents’ selection of local vs.non-local foods in a rural area of India where globalization is just reaching. A representative sample of 237 school-going adolescents in a village in Southern India completed a survey in 2019 to understand how adolescents decide among foods traditional to the area and foods arriving from other parts of the country and the world. Adolescents most frequently consumed local foods but also occasionally consumed non-local items. In hypothetical scenarios, 81% of the adolescents reported being most interested in substituting local foods with non-local foods if they were to have more money. Among the few who currently consumed non-local snacks and drinks, very few would be willing to replace them with local alternatives, particularly if they were to have more money (snacks: 10% and drinks: 5% respectively). Overall, adolescents were most interested in switching to non-local items when considering fruits, vegetables and snacks. As India faces the dual burden of undernutrition and overnutrition, understanding the changing food environment may help inform efforts to improve nutrition.