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Understanding systemic drivers of food choice to identify
entry points for nutrition-sensitive interventions in eastern India
Rosa Paula Cuevas1, Marie Claire Custodio1, Jhoanne Ynion1, Arindam Samaddar1, Suva Kanta Mohanty2, Matty Demont1
1 International Rice Research Institute, Philippines
2 Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University, India
Purpose and framework
The purpose of this study is to understand the drivers of
food choice in eastern India using the gastronomic
systems research (GSR) framework and to identify entry
points for nutrition-sensitive interventions that are
context- and culture-specific (Fig. 1). In this framework,
food choice is viewed as a result of one’s socioeconomic
and cultural context which then influences the
occasion in which one consumes food. These occasions
dictate the dishes that people prepare and eat; the
dishes are composed of ingredients and have defined
preparation methods. Ingredients and preparation
methods, in turn, are linked with quality attributes:
cooking, eating, and nutritional.
Approach and methods
To capture the diversity of food choices in eastern India, we
conducted expert elicitation workshops with food experts
(n=17) including home scientists, nutritionists, a chef,
restaurant owners, and food technologists in 2017 (Fig. 2). The
results were validated through focus group discussions (n=4
groups) with consumers and quantified through surveys with
low- and middle- income households in the urban and rural
districts of Odisha (n=251) and West Bengal (n=250). The next
phase of the project will involve behavioral experiments for
which an interactive tablet application will be developed.
Implications
•Our preliminary findings suggest possibilities for nutrition-
sensitive interventions at dish level:
•improving diversity of dishes in terms of major
ingredients for breakfast and the two snack
occasions;
•increase intake of fruits/fruit-based dishes.
•The food choices captured in the survey are critical inputs in
the behavioral experiment in the next phase to test
consumers’ behavioral response to nutrition-sensitive
interventions.
Culture
Outcomes:
Changes in nutrition/diet
Dish 1 Dish 2 Dish n
…
Ingredient 1 Ingredient 2 Ingredient n
…
Entry points for
interventions
Cooking and eating quality Nutritional content
Socioeconomic status
Occasion 1 Occasion 2 Occasion n
…
Fig. 1. The gastronomic systems research (GSR) framework
Table 1. Frequently consumed starch-based dishes during breakfast and morning
and afternoon snacks.
Fig. 3. Average proportion of dishes consumed in low- to middle- income
households, based on major ingredients
Odisha
West Bengal
Breakfast
Moori
/Puffed rice
Gola roti
Panta
bhat/Water rice
Moori
/Puffed rice
Roti/
Chapati
Rice
Upma
- Sooji/Semolina
Paratha
Paratha
Maggi noodles
Morning snacks
Biscuits
Rice
Moori
/Puffed rice
Biscuits
Bread
Moori
/Puffed rice
Afternoon snacks
Biscuits
Moori
/Puffed rice
Moori
/Puffed rice
Aloo chop
/Potato croquette
Chaat
/Chat
Maggi noodles
Fig. 2. Food experts participated in the expert elicitation workshop
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Breakfast Morning
snacks
Lunch Afternoon
snacks
Dinner
Veg
Pulses
Dairy
Meat
Fruit
Starch
Others
Findings
•The food experts captured the diversity of food choices by
identifying 130 unique dishes. This list of dishes was expanded
to more than 200 dishes by the consumers.
•A regular eating occasion of low- and middle- income
households is mainly composed of starch dishes (Table 1)
particularly during breakfast and during morning and
afternoon snacks.
•Diversity of dishes consumed during lunch and dinner
contains more meat, starch, vegetables, and pulses (Fig. 3).
•Intake of fruits/fruit-based dishes (i.e. khata, chutney) is
minimal/less frequent, particularly in West Bengal.