Nutrition transition is the shift in dietary consumption and energy expenditure that coincides with socio-economic, demographic and epidemiological changing pattern. Bengaluru is the capital city of Karnataka state, India which is often referred to as “Silicon City” and has its growing urbanization influence on surrounding rural localities. Research team funded with DBT conducted study to evaluate urbanization effects on north and south transects across rural urban interface of Bengaluru among middle income families. From north and south regions of Bengaluru, 300 households comprising of rural (100), transition (100) and urban area (100). The parameters like socio-economic status, food habits, nutrient deficiencies, prevalence of degenerative diseases and nutritional status were studied. Most of the respondents belonged to middle age group (58%), nuclear family (60%) and small family size (50%). Across the rural- urban gradient significant changes were observed in family type (χ² =7.86*), family size (χ²= 16.19*) and education (χ² =21.78*). Agriculture was predominant occupation in rural (82%) as against urban with non-agriculture (88%). Most of the respondents (65%) had three meals a day and were non- vegetarians (80%). Nutrient deficiency symptoms observed were found statistically non significant between regions. Dispigmentation of hair was observed more in rural compared to other regions (χ²=8.82*). Prevalence of overweight (24.5%) and obesity (7.1%) was significantly more (χ²=26.73*) in urban compared to transition and rural. Hypertension and diabetes were most common degenerative diseases observed in study area. Dietary diversity scores did not differ across the gradient. With all these considered parameters study highlights on impact of urbanization on surrounding localities of Bengaluru and also compare the stretch of impacts between north and south regions.

Biography:
Vijayalakshmi D is currently working as Professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Agricultural Sciences, India. Acknowledgment: We acknowledge the financial support received from Department of Biotechnology, GOI for the project “Urbanization effects on consumption pattern, dietary diversification and human nutritional status in Bangalore” (I-C04) as part of the Indo-German collaborative research project FOR-2432.