The study has examined food consumption pattern and dietary diversity in Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) islands based on the 38th and 68th rounds of National Sample Survey data. The study has hypothesized that dietary changes during the past three decades have improved the food availability and nutritional status at the household level in A&N islands. The study has revealed that dietary pattern in A&N Islands has diversified toward horticultural, livestock, poultry and fisheries products. The domestic production and import of food commodities are the major sources for food and nutrition security. The total available energy to the Island people was estimated about 1746 kcal and 58 gram protein per capita per day which is lower than the ICMR recommendations. The depth of hunger was worked out to be -64 kcal energy and -2.3 gram protein for A&N Islands. This indicates that A & N Islands are deficit in energy and proteins intake and face threats to food and nutritional security.
Food security, dietary pattern, nutritional security, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
