PD083 - URBAN–RURAL DISPARITIES IN DIETARY PATTERNS AND LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOURS AMONG SCHOOL-GOING CHILDREN: EVIDENCE FROM A COUNSELLING-BASED OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

PD083

URBAN–RURAL DISPARITIES IN DIETARY PATTERNS AND LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOURS AMONG SCHOOL-GOING CHILDREN: EVIDENCE FROM A COUNSELLING-BASED OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

R. Singh^1,*, D. P. A. Singh²

¹Community Nutritionist, Nutritionpunch, ²Prof. Community Medicine, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences , Lucknow, India

 

Rationale: The ongoing nutrition transition in India is driving a shift toward ultra-processed food consumption, especially in urban children. Evidence from real-world school settings, including tiffin practices, remains limited. This study assessed urban–rural differences and the impact of structured nutrition counselling.

Methods: A comparative observational study was conducted among 840 children (460 rural, 380 urban). Baseline assessment included dietary recall, tiffin audits, and physical activity profiling. A structured counselling intervention promoting balanced diets and reduction of processed foods was implemented, followed by post-intervention evaluation.

Results: Rural children exhibited healthier behaviours with higher traditional food intake (72%) and physical activity (68%), while urban children showed high processed food consumption (64%) and sedentary behaviour (36%). Post-counselling, urban children improved significantly: balanced tiffins increased (32%→51%) and junk food intake reduced (64%→39%).

Key Indicators

Indicator	Rural (%)	Urban (%)
Traditional food	72	28
Processed food	18	64
Balanced tiffin	61	32
High physical activity	68	34

Dietary Pattern Comparison

Traditional Food Intake
Rural  72%
Urban 28%
Processed Food Intake
Rural  18%
Urban 64%

Impact of Counselling (Urban Children)

Balanced Tiffin
Before 32%
After  51%
Junk Food Intake
Before 64%
After  39%

Conclusion: Marked urban–rural disparities persist, with urban children increasingly exposed to unhealthy dietary transitions. Structured nutrition counselling demonstrates strong effectiveness and should be scaled within school-based public health frameworks to promote sustainable dietary behaviour change

Disclosure of Interest: None declared