STUDY ON CONSUMPTION PATTERN OF FORTIFIED FOODS AMONG HOUSEHOLDS BELONGING TO DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF MUMBAI CITY

Nutrition and Dietitics

Food fortification addresses the problem of micronutrient deficiencies and offers a public health benefit with no danger to health. It is a scientifically validated, affordable, scalable, and sustainable global intervention. The aim of this study is to assess the baseline consumption of fortified foods of Mumbai-based families from different socioeconomic status. In addition, this study seeks to offer a nutrition education intervention on food fortification and analyze post-intervention changes in consumption pattern of fortified foods among the same families. The total sample size (N) was 90 households, out of which 45 households belong to Upper class and 45 households belong to Upper lower class. The participants completed a self-reported questionnaire containing questions related to staple foods and fortified food consumption, p values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Both socioeconomic groups' consumption patterns of staple foods were found to be quite similar, while consumption of fortified foods was higher in the upper class than in the upper-lower class. Compared to other staple foods, fortified salt and oil were two major foods that practically all socioeconomic groups adopted. The upper class (93.3%) has higher consumption compared to the upper lower class (60%) for fortified salt and consumption of fortified oil was less in the upper lower class (32.8%) as compared to the upper class (75.6%). In conclusion, the upper class has a higher consumption of fortified food as compared to the upper lower class.

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