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Rural-urban differences in food and nutrient intake of Pakistani children

R Hakeem1, J Thomas, S H Badruddin

  • 1Department of Food and Nutrition, RLAK Govt. College of Home Economics, Karachi.

JPMA. the Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association
|March 1, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Urban Pakistani children consume more calories and fats but fewer protective micro-nutrients than rural children. This dietary shift with urbanization poses potential health risks, requiring attention from health professionals.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional science
  • Public health
  • Pediatric nutrition

Background:

  • Increasing global urbanization presents complex nutritional challenges.
  • Understanding dietary patterns in urban vs. rural populations is crucial for public health.
  • Pakistani children's nutritional status is influenced by urbanization trends.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare food consumption and nutrient intake between urban and rural Pakistani children.
  • To identify dietary differences associated with urbanization in Pakistani children.
  • To provide baseline data on nutritional trends in a developing country context.

Main Methods:

  • Study involved 180 Pakistani school-children aged 10-12 years.
  • Participants were categorized into rural, middle-income urban, and affluent urban groups.
  • Dietary intake was assessed using 3-day estimated diet records and analyzed with COMP-EAT and SPSS.

Main Results:

  • Urbanization correlated with decreased intake of lentils, cooked vegetables, and traditional snacks.
  • Increased consumption of milk, meat, sweets, fruits, and raw vegetables was observed in urban children.
  • Urban children had higher intakes of calories, sugar, protein, fats, and certain micronutrients, but lower carbohydrate, fiber, and starch intake compared to rural children.

Conclusions:

  • Rural children's diets appear heart-healthy regarding macronutrients but may lack essential micronutrients.
  • Urban dietary patterns show increased intake of energy-dense foods and reduced protective nutrients.
  • These findings offer critical baseline data for health professionals addressing the health impacts of rapid urbanization in developing nations.
Abstract

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