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60% want unhealthy street food banned in city: PMC survey
The survey among more than 3,000 adults across city’s socio-economic groups was conducted by PMC’s auxiliary nurses and was led by the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics
More than 60 per cent respondents in a survey conducted by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in association with the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics agreed that unhealthy street food should be banned and wanted fruit and vegetables to be more affordable.
The survey among more than 3,000 adults across city’s socio-economic groups was conducted by PMC’s auxiliary nurses and was led by the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics. It explored eating habits and ideas of healthy diets among people in the city while gathering the views of residents on how civic policymakers should promote nutritious food.
The survey revealed that having takeaway food delivered to the home was extremely popular. On average, residents used online delivery platforms to order food 1.6 times a week, with 61 per cent using them one-three times a week and 11 per cent using them four to ten times weekly.
For low socio-economic groups, the price was the most important driver for food choice and healthy options were the fourth most significant consideration.
For high socio-economic groups, price did not matter at all in the top four drivers of food choice, namely, healthy options, quality, taste and brand.
Whether the food was organic or not was the least important factor for all the groups.
The survey was undertaken as part of the Birmingham India Nutrition Initiative (BINDI) facilitated by Food Foundation. The focus of the partnership is on policies regarding food prepared out of the home. It is aimed at encouraging safe, nutritious and affordable food which is procured in a manner which supports environmental sustainability and local economic development.
Encouraging healthy food habits
Saurabh Rao, Municipal Commissioner, PMC, says, the goal of the initiative is to tackle all forms of malnutrition and encourage healthy food habits. “PMC is taking several initiatives to enhance the awareness about the importance of nutrition to the citizens and support to live healthy lives. We will be reviewing the findings of this survey and using it to form our policies going forward,” says Rao.
Policymakers can be highly effective in tackling diet-related illness
Anna Taylor, executive director, Food Foundation, said, “We know that poor diets are the biggest cause of premature death globally. Policymakers can be highly effective in tackling diet-related illness if they intervene early before the issue becomes unmanageable and this survey demonstrates that Indian cities have the chance to get ahead of the curve.”
Creating awareness and informing people about the ill effects of fast food
Dr Rajendra Hankare, chief of the health department, said “As a local civic body we can create awareness and inform people about the ill effects of fast food. Reuse of cooking oil in fast food and the consumption of the same food over and over leads to concentrated nutrition and deficiency of other nutrition.” Also reused cooking oil leads to the trans-fat formation in the oil as opposed to the essential fatty acids which are there. Malnutrition, obesity and stunt growth are all effects of lack of balanced diet, he added.
School canteens should start offering healthy food
Dr Jayashri Toodkar, bariatric surgeon, Apollo Spectra hospital and director of Maharashtra state obesity and NCD Taskforce, said, “When the demand is high to make the fast-food more attractive preservatives are added, strong flavours like extra salt and sugar, spices and artificial colours are added. Fast food is marinated and half cooked and then re-cooked to serve it hot.” Popular food joints can start by mentioning the calorie content in it and school canteen can start with offering healthy foods. India is a diabetes capital, second highest deaths due to heart attacks, second-highest obesity patients are found here and so authorities need to take serious concern for the same, she said.
Eating right makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise
Survey of Pune’s socio-economic groups conducted by PMC’s auxiliary nurses and led by the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics explores eating habits among people while gathering the views of residents on how civic policymakers should promote nutritious food
Sample size: 3,000 adults
60% of residents want unhealthy street food banned
70% want fruits and vegetables to be more affordable
Takeaway food delivered to the home is on the rise
72% of people have used an online delivery platform at least once in the last week
34% have eaten fried snacks in the week before the survey
25% had fast food
14% have eaten fruits
Concept of healthy food is well understood by Puneites
100% identified fruits, dal as healthy
90% knew boiled eggs are healthy food
Unhealthy food products are widely consumed by residents when they eat out of the home. Over a week’s time before the survey was done:
39% had drunk sweet beverages (Example: tea and coffee with high sugar content)
34% had eaten fried snacks such as vada pav and samosas
25% had eaten Indian fast food (example: missals, pav bhaji or Indian Chinese)
14% had eaten fruit (or had fruit juice)
Call for bold action to shape a healthier food environment
72% want more healthy eating in school curriculums
66% want tastier Anganwadi centres take-home rations
59% want more promotions of healthy street food
Whether the food was organic or not was the least important factor for all the groups
Purpose of the survey: The survey was undertaken as part of the Birmingham India Nutrition Initiative (BINDI) facilitated by Food Foundation. The focus of the partnership is on policies regarding food prepared out of the home. It is aimed at encouraging safe, nutritious and affordable food which is procured in a manner which supports environmental sustainability and local economic development.
