Eating Behaviors of Adolescents in New versus Established Urban Centers in South India
Authors: Shaikh Nida I. , Guo Boya , Narayan K.M. Venkat , Patil Shailaja S. , Kuriyan Rebecca , Cunningham Solveig A. 
Published: November 2023

Background

With changes in the food environment accompanying globalization and urbanization in developing countries, little is known about the eating behaviors among adolescents in these regions.

Objectives

To compare eating behaviors among adolescents in new versus established urban centers in South India.

Methods

Data were from responses to a validated Nutrition Transition‐FFQ including a 27‐item eating behavior and beliefs survey, developed in our previous work, by adolescents ages 13–18 years from the new urban region (population >5000) of Vijayapura (n=198, representative sample) and from the established urban region (population >100,000) of Bengaluru (n=192, convenience sample) in South India. Eating behaviors were assessed using chi‐sq tests and Students t tests and differences were compared between boys and girls and between public school pupils and private school pupils.

Results

More meals at home were eaten overall (2.7 ± 0.8 meals/d vs. 2.3 ± 0.7 meals/d; 67% vs. 57% meals/week) and while watching TV (44% vs. 26.0% meals with TV/week) by adolescents in the new‐ than established urban center, respectively. In contrast, more meals were eaten outside home in the established‐ than new urban center (18% vs. 11% meals/week). In the new urban center, watching TV while eating was significantly higher among girls than boys (49% vs. 41% meals with TV/week) and among public‐ than private school pupils (47% vs 39% meals with TV/week). Across both centers, school type attended was significantly associated with meals eaten at home (private vs. public; new urban center: 61% vs. 53% meals/week; established urban center: 61% vs. 70% meals/week) and outside the home (private vs. public; new urban center: 20% vs. 15% meals/week; established urban center: 16% vs. 8% meals/week). Among the eating beliefs, adolescents in both centers considered home cooked food as traditional; but there were differences across school type in the established urban center (88% private vs. 80% public) and across gender in the new urban center (79% girls vs. 60% boys), respectively. Animal‐source foods, eggs and meat, were largely considered traditional (>68%) across both cities; there were differences across gender in the belief of eating meat in the new urban center (80% girls vs. 63% boys) and differences across school type attended in the belief of eating eggs in the established urban center (75% public vs. 68% private). In both centers, a family with a working mother was considered modern; beliefs differed by school type attended (established urban center: overall 59%; 72% private vs. 44% public; new urban center: overall 63%; 81% private vs. 54% public).

Conclusion

Eating behaviors and beliefs among adolescents followed more traditional practices in new versus established urban centers.

Support or Funding Information

Nida Shaikh was supported by the award number 1‐R25 TW009337‐01 funded by the Fogarty International Center at National Institutes of Health.

Comparison of eating behaviors of adolescents in new versus established urban centers in South India.

Characteristic1
Established urban center (Bengaluru)
New urban center (Vijayapura)

Overall (n=192)
Boys (n=86)
Girls (n=106)
Private school (n=101)
Public school (n=91)
Overall (n=198)
Boys (n=108)
Girls (n=90)
Private school (n=69)
Public school (n=129)

At home

Number of meals eaten at home daily2
2.3 ± 0.7
2.3 ± 0.6
2.2 ± 0.7
2.5 ± 0.7
2.1 ± 0.7**
2.7 ± 0.8
2.7 ± 0.8
2.6 ± 0.7
2.4 ± 0.7
2.8 ± 0.8**

Number of meals eaten at home per week
16.0 ± 4.7
16.4 ± 4.5
15.7 ± 4.9
17.2 ± 4.6
14.7 ± 4.6**
18.7 ± 5.4
19.1 ± 5.9
18.2 ± 4.7
17.1 ± 5.2
19.5 ± 5.3**

Number of meals eaten at home watching TV daily
1.4 ± 0.9
1.4 ± 0.9
1.5 ± 0.9
1.5 ± 0.9
1.4 ± 1.0
1.8 ± 1.1
1.6 ± 1.2
1.9 ± 1.0*
1.5 ± 1.0
1.9 ± 1.6*

Number of meals eaten at home watching TV per week
10.1 ± 6.5
9.6 ± 6.5
10.5 ± 6.4
10.7 ± 6.3
9.5 ± 6.7
12.4 ± 7.8
11.4 ± 8.1
13.6 ± 7.2**
10.8 ± 6.8
13.2 ± 8.1*

Outside home

Number of meals eaten outside home daily2
0.7 ± 0.3
0.7 ± 0.3
0.7 ± 0.3
0.8 ± 0.3
0.6 ± 0.3***
0.4 ± 0.4
0.5 ± 0.4
0.4 ± 0.4
0.6 ± 0.5
0.3 ± 0.3***

Number of meals eaten outside home per week
4.9 ± 2.1
5.0 ± 2.3
4.9 ± 2.0
5.5 ± 2.1
4.3 ± 2.0***
2.9 ± 3.0
3.2 ± 3.0
2.5 ± 2.9
4.5 ± 3.4
2.1 ± 2.3***

All values are mean ± SD

Four meals in a day were asked in the survey including breakfast, lunch, evening snack, and dinner.

p<0.05,

p<0.01,

p<0.001.

Chi‐sq test and fishers exact test for categorical variables.

Dietary data were collected in Vijayapura in November 2013–January 2014 and in Bengaluru in November 2014–January 2015.

Eating and health beliefs of adolescents in new versus established urban centers in South India.

Characteristic1
Established urban center (Bengaluru)
New urban center (Vijayapura)

Overall (n=192)
Boys (n=86)
Girls (n=106)
Private school (n=101)
Public school (n=91)
Overall (n=198)
Boys (n=108)
Girls (n=90)
Private school (n=69)
Public school (n=129)

Belief of eating home cooked food

Totally traditional
32.3
29.1
34.9
40.6
23.1*
40.4
32.4
50.0*
36.2
42.6

Somewhat traditional
52.1
53.5
50.9
47.5
57.1
28.8
27.8
28.9
34.8
24.8

Somewhat modern
13.5
14.0
13.2
8.9
18.7
24.2
29.6
17.8
26.1
23.3

Totally modern
2.1
3.5
0.9
3.0
1.1
7.1
10.2
3.3
2.9
9.3

Belief of eating outside food

Totally traditional
2.1
1.2
2.8
1.0
3.3
1.0
1.9
0
1.5
0.8

Somewhat traditional
8.3
10.5
6.6
4.0
13.2
12.1
13.9
10.0
5.8
15.5

Somewhat modern
50.0
46.5
52.8
52.5
47.3
49.0
50.0
47.8
56.5
45.0

Totally modern
39.6
41.9
37.7
42.6
36.3
37.9
34.3
42.2
36.2
38.8

Belief of eating eggs

Totally traditional
32.3
30.2
34.0
33.7
30.8
36.9
28.7
46.7
23.2
44.2*

Somewhat traditional
38.5
39.5
37.7
35.6
41.8
35.9
39.8
31.1
44.9
31.0

Somewhat modern
18.2
22.1
15.1
19.8
16.5
19.7
23.2
15.6
24.6
17.1

Totally modern
7.8
7.0
8.5
7.9
7.7
7.6
8.3
6.7
7.3
7.8

Belief of eating meat

Totally traditional
40.1
45.4
35.9
33.7
47.3
47.5
35.2
62.2**
42.0
50.4

Somewhat traditional
27.6
24.4
30.2
32.7
22.0
23.2
27.8
17.8
30.4
19.4

Somewhat modern
20.8
19.8
21.7
21.8
20.9
18.7
24.1
12.2
17.4
19.4

Totally modern
8.9
10.5
7.6
11.9
5.5
10.6
13.0
7.8
10.1
10.9

Belief of eating bread

Totally traditional
11.0
14.1
8.5
13.0
8.8
5.6
4.6
6.7
1.5
7.8

Somewhat traditional
20.4
22.4
18.9
16.0
25.3
17.2
17.6
16.7
15.9
17.8

Somewhat modern
47.6
41.2
52.8
51.0
44.0
57.6
54.6
61.1
65.2
53.5

Totally modern
20.9
22.4
19.8
20.0
22.0
19.7
23.2
15.6
17.4
20.9

Belief of drinking milk

Totally traditional
35.1
30.6
38.7
31.7
38.9
46.0
38.0
55.6
53.6
41.9

Somewhat traditional
29.8
32.9
27.4
26.7
33.3
28.8
33.3
23.3
29.0
28.7

Somewhat modern
21.5
17.7
24.5
25.7
16.7
16.7
17.6
15.6
7.3
21.7

Totally modern
13.6
18.8
9.4
15.8
11.1
8.6
11.1
5.6
10.1
7.8

Belief of drinking fruit juice

Totally traditional
8.3
14.0
3.8*
5.9
11.0
7.1
3.7
11.1
10.1
5.4

Somewhat traditional
13.0
16.3
10.4
14.9
11.0
16.2
13.0
20.0
11.6
18.6

Somewhat modern
43.2
40.7
45.3
44.6
41.8
45.5
50.0
40.0
53.6
41.1

Totally modern
35.4
29.1
40.6
34.7
36.3
31.3
33.3
28.9
24.6
34.9

Belief of having a family with a working mother

Totally traditional
8.9
11.6
6.6
8.9
8.8**
17.7
16.7
18.9
5.8
24.0**

Somewhat traditional
32.3
29.1
34.9
18.8
47.3
19.2
21.3
16.7
13.0
22.5

Somewhat modern
37.0
38.4
35.9
42.6
30.8
32.8
25.9
41.1
47.8
24.8

Totally modern
21.9
20.9
22.6
29.7
13.2
30.3
36.1
23.3
33.3
28.7

All values are percentages. The responses for the eating belief questions were as a 4‐point Likert scale with the options totally traditional, somewhat traditional, somewhat modern, and totally modern.

p<0.05,

p<0.01,

*** p<0.001.

Chi‐sq test and fishers exact test for categorical variables.

Dietary data were collected in Vijayapura in November 2013–January 2014 and in Bengaluru in November 2014–January 2015.