Food consumption patterns and the nutritional profile of the Urban South Indian dwellers

In urban areas rapid nutrition transition is taking place, Being a representative metropolitan, Chennai was selected for the study. A study group of low to middle income status in the age of 30–60 yr's with normal glucose tolerance was selected for their food consumption pattern. Information on their socio-economic, anthropometric and dietary assessment was obtained using a detailed socioeconomic and food frequency questionnaire. Macronutrient intake of the subjects portrayed a surplus intake of energy in men (10.31%) and women (27.59%) in comparison with RDA for Indians. Micronutrient deficit intakes of the study group was seen. Nearly 14 per cent of men and 4 per cent women had total cholesterol above 200 mg/dl and belonged to high-risk group for CVD and other life style disorders. In the selected sample, 88 per cent of males and 38 per cent of females had HDL below 45 mg/dl. Thus 40 percent of males and 18 percent of females were at risk of hypertriglyceridemia. The study revealed that there is a prominent influence of consumption pattern on the nutritional profile of the people and pose them to the risk of CVD and other lifestyle disorders.