Increasing vegetarianism in India
Diseases like pancreatic cancer and respiratory problems are less common among vegetarians than in those who consume meat regularly
According to a survey, the percentage of meat eaters in India is expected to decline as the benefits of vegetarianism are getting popular in the country.
Even as India is increasingly growing as a market for chicken and fish, awareness about health benefits of vegetarianism is also catching up fast amongst people.
According to a survey by the Registrar General of India (RGI), even after 70 pc of Indians above the age of 15 years are non-vegetarians, the numbers of meat eaters in the country are expected to decline.
According to experts, the growth in health awareness, increasing burden of lifestyle and diseases like heart disorders, diabetes and cancer, may be the contributing factors in influencing the diet of Indians.
Several researches and studies have found that vegetarians lead a healthier life compared to non-vegetarians. Diseases like pancreatic cancer and respiratory problems are also less common among vegetarians than in those who consume meat regularly.
“It is possible that the purchase wallet for non-vegetarian foods is now being diverted towards ready to eat, processed or packaged foods because there is an increasing trend of cooking less at home,” said Dr Shikha Sharma, a leading nutritionist and founder and managing director at Nutri-Health Systems.
A latest RGI report also showed that where the increasing purchasing power should lead to a growth in the consumption of non-vegetarian meals; consumption of milk, eggs, meat and processed foods is growing instead.
In the urban areas of the country, the richest 5 pc consume the fewest cereals and the most derivatives of cereals like bread and noodles. However, in rural India, the richest 5 pc still consume the most cereals.
