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Fruits are forbidden, thanks to high cost & lifestyle
Juicy autumnal fruit, ripe and red from the orchard’ is sure a poet’s delight, but when it comes to the indigent, the middle class and the mighty of Telangana in general and its magnificent capital Hyderabad in particular, the most nutritious of foodstuff is not in their regimen, though reasons vary.
Hyderabad: ‘Juicy autumnal fruit, ripe and red from the orchard’ is sure a poet’s delight, but when it comes to the indigent, the middle class and the mighty of Telangana in general and its magnificent capital Hyderabad in particular, the most nutritious of foodstuff is not in their regimen, though reasons vary.
While it is unaffordable for the poor and the not-so-poor, the affluent population fills their plates with junk food while fruits and vegetables take a backseat. According to Dr Laxmaiah, Senior Deputy Director, Division of Community Studies, National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), 2/3rd of the platters of the affluent are filled with rice or junk food and 1/3rd with vegetables.
“It should be the other way round. Only 1/3rd of the population in Hyderabad, as well as the State, gets the required servings of fruit and vegetables which is 400 grams per day,” he said.
According to a paper published in British medical journal Lancet on August 23, 2016, in low-income countries including India, only 27 percent of the population has more than one serving of fruit per day. According to the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) report, the rural India consumes just 15- grams of fruits and vegetables which is short by 250 grams per day.
Affordability is the main factor cited for the low consumption of fruits and vegetables among the poor and the middle class. According to the Lancet report, the lower the average income of the country, the poorer the average consumption of fruits.
Price of fruits and vegetables and low income are cited as the reason for lower consumption levels. Ramulu, a daily wage labourer, says, “We are a family of four and it is impossible to buy fruits. Dal and rice is our staple food. We sometimes buy bananas.”
Ironically, Rizwan, a fruit seller at Monda Market in Secunderabad sells fruit for a living but his children hardly get to eat fruits. He says, “I have six children and the school fee is so much that we hardly get to eat fruits and
vegetables.
We make do with leafy vegetables more often as they are affordable.” According to the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) recommendation on Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), an adult needs 400 grams of fruits and vegetables but even the affluent population does not get the complete requirement.
Dr Sujatha Stephen, chief nutritionist, Maxcure Hospitals says, “Minimum of 2-3 servings of fruit is recommended per day but not many follow the directions. People are consuming a lot of calories but are not meeting the protein and vitamin minerals.
Eating habits need to change with less rice and roti and more vegetables and fruit on the plate.” Dr Meghna, a nutritionist says, “India is way behind in meeting the RDA specifications, but even people who can afford fruits are not consuming enough.” Despite the fact that the horticultural production almost tripled since 1991-92 in India, increase in fruit and vegetable consumption did not, rue nutritional experts.
