Caloric Intake Trends in India: Insights from Recent Report

Overview of Caloric Intake in India
New Delhi, July 2: A recent report titled 'Nutritional Intake in India' released by the National Statistics Office reveals consistent patterns in daily calorie consumption across rural and urban regions for the years 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The findings indicate that the average daily calorie intake per capita in rural areas was recorded at 2,233 Kcal for 2022-23, slightly decreasing to 2,212 Kcal in 2023-24. In urban settings, the figures were 2,250 Kcal and 2,240 Kcal for the same years, respectively.
This report is based on two consecutive Household Consumption Expenditure Surveys (HCES) conducted from August 2022 to July 2023 and from August 2023 to July 2024, which gathered data on food consumption patterns among households during specified periods.
Notably, there has been an increase in average daily calorie intake for the lower five fractile classes in rural areas and the lower six fractile classes in urban areas from 2022-23 to 2023-24.
The report highlights that as the Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) rises, so does the average calorie intake in both rural and urban India.
Similar trends are observed in the intake of calories, protein, and fat across both sectors during the reported periods.
Improvements in average calorie intake are linked to enhanced well-being, as indicated by the MPCE, in both rural and urban populations.
Furthermore, the gap in per capita calorie intake between the lowest and highest expenditure classes has significantly narrowed in 2023-24, indicating a reduction in inequality.
From 2009-10 to 2023-24, there has been a slight increase in daily calorie intake at the national level for both rural and urban areas, alongside a similar upward trend in protein consumption.
Cereals remain the primary source of protein among five food groups, which also include pulses, dairy products, and egg/fish/meat, contributing approximately 46-47% in rural areas and 39% in urban areas during both periods.
However, the contribution of cereals to protein intake has decreased by about 14% in rural India and nearly 12% in urban India since 2009-10. This decline has been offset by significant increases in the intake of egg, fish, meat, and other food items, along with a slight rise in dairy consumption, reflecting improved living standards.
Despite these trends, the report notes considerable variations in average daily calorie intake among major states for both 2022-23 and 2023-24.