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Estimation of Calorie Norms and Measurement of Food Intakes: Some Implications for the Magnitudes of the Prevalence of Undernutrition in India

Author

Listed:
  • MEENAKSHI, J. V.

    (Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics)

  • VISWANATHAN, BRINDA

    (Madras School of Economics)

Abstract
This paper highlights the significant measurement issues in the computation of the prevalence of inadequate calorie intakes in India using NSS data. It focuses on the setting of appropriate norms or cutoffs which determine adequacy or inadequacy, as well as the measurement of intakes. Although energy norms for an individual are biologically determined their use as a policy tool necessitates several additional considerations that have not received sufficient attention in the literature. We demonstrate that changes in assumptions regarding age-sex distribution, average heights of adults, and physical activity status can lead to substantial changes in norms. Also important is the way food intakes are measured: changes in food habits that may lead to greater underreporting as the recall period increases, and the increasing trend, even though small, of eating meals outside the home, can exert a significant influence on the trends in the POU over time. With more realistic assumptions, the prevalence of inadequate energy intakes are quite reasonable in magnitude, although still high in absolute terms. The paper also suggests that by accounting for outliers, there is a correlation between anthropometric indicators for adults and food intakes.

Suggested Citation

  • Meenakshi, J. V. & Viswanathan, Brinda, 2013. "Estimation of Calorie Norms and Measurement of Food Intakes: Some Implications for the Magnitudes of the Prevalence of Undernutrition in India," Indian Economic Review, Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, vol. 48(1), pages 167-188.
    • Handle: RePEc:dse:indecr:0068
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    Cited by:

    1. Bhuyan, Biswabhusan & Sahoo, Bimal Kishore & Suar, Damodar, 2020. "Nutritional status, poverty, and relative deprivation among socio-economic and gender groups in India: Is the growth inclusive?," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 18(C).
    2. Jumrani, Jaya, 2023. "How responsive are nutrients in India? Some recent evidence," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    3. Brinda Viswanathan & Archana Agnihotri, 2020. "Double Burden of Malnutrition in India: Decadal Changes among Adult Men and Women," Working Papers 2020-200, Madras School of Economics,Chennai,India.
    4. C. Rangarajan & S. Mahendra Dev, 2020. "Poverty in India: Measurement, trends and other issues," Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai Working Papers 2020-038, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, India.
    5. J. V. Meenakshi, 2016. "Trends and patterns in the triple burden of malnutrition in India," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 47(S1), pages 115-134, November.
    6. Biswabhusan Bhuyan & Bimal Kishore Sahoo & Damodar Suar, 2024. "Calorie decomposition by gender, caste, and religion in India: an entitlement approach," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 67(4), pages 1829-1887, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Measurement; of; calorie; inadequacy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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