There has been a rapid increase in the number of non-vegetarians in the country. An analysis of data from The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) by The Indian Express revealed that more people are eating non-vegetarian food than ever before, and the proportion of Indian men who do so between 2015 -16 and 2019-21 has grown rapidly in six years.
Recently released data from The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted in 2019-21 shows that 16.6 percent of men aged 15-49, who have never had a non-vegetarian diet, eat ‘fish,’ Liked chicken or beef. The proportion of women in the same age group (15-49) who have never consumed ‘fish, chicken or meat’ stood at 29.4 per cent in 2019-21.
Thus, 83.4 percent of men and 70.6 percent of women in the 15-49 age group eat non-vegetarian food daily, weekly or occasionally. In the earlier survey (NFHS-4), this figure was 78.4 percent for men and 70 percent for women. The proportion of weekly meat eaters has also increased sharply. 57.3 percent of men and 45.1 percent of women admitted to eating fish, chicken or meat at least once a week during NFHS-5, up from 48.9 percent of men and 42.8 percent of women reported in 2015-16.
This category of non-vegetarian eaters among men is highest in Lakshadweep (98.4%) and lowest in Rajasthan (14.1%) in 2019-21. Apart from Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands (96.1%), Goa (93.8%), Kerala (90.1%) and Puducherry (89.9%) are in the top 5 states and union territories where males have sex at least once a week. Do eat non-vegetarian food. Apart from Rajasthan, Haryana (13.4%), Punjab (17%), Gujarat (17.9%) and Himachal Pradesh (21.1%) are at the bottom of the list.
The proportion of men who consumed fish, chicken or meat at least once a week over a six-year period between 2015-16 and 2019-21 increased the most in Sikkim (from 49.1 percent to 76.8 percent) and the highest in Tripura. (from 94.8 percent to 76.1 percent).
Among religious groups, Christian men (80 percent) and women (78 percent) in the 15-49 age group consumed the highest amount of non-vegetarian food at least once a week. Hindu men in the same age group in other religious groups: 52.5%, women: 40.7%; Muslim men: 79.5%, women: 70.2%; Sikh men: 19.5%, women: 7.9%; Buddhist/Neo-Buddhist men: 74.1%, women: 62.2%; and Jain males comprise 14.9%, females: 4.3%.
The NFHS findings suggest that more people consume eggs than ‘fish, chicken or meat’. During 2019-21, 84.7 percent of men admitted to eating eggs daily, weekly or occasionally. In 2015-16, this number was 80.3 percent. That is, the number has increased by 4 percent in comparison to that. Among women, this number was 72 per cent, which was higher than 70.8 per cent in 2015-16.