Dietary diversity and association with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among adult men (15–54 years): A cross-sectional study using National Family and Health Survey, India

Abstract

A healthy and diversified diet is essential for preventing several non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Given the increasing evidence of diet-related health burdens and the rising prevalence of NCDs among Indian adults, the present study aims to explore dietary diversity patterns among adult men in India and their association with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). For this purpose, the study used the fourth round of the National Family and Health Survey (NFHS-4) to analyze adult male samples (n = 1,12,122). Dietary Diversity Scores (DDS) were computed by the weighted sum of the number of different food groups consumed by an individual. The prevalence of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer among adult men is considered a non-communicable disease. Bivariate and logistic regression was carried out to examine the association between DDS and NCDs by estimating chi-squared tests (χ2-test), odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (CI). The prevalence of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer among adult men in India is 2.1 percent, 1.2 percent, and 0.3 percent, respectively. Results show a positive association between dietary diversity score and the prevalence of the non-communicable disease. High-level dietary diversity scores increase to two times the likelihood of diabetes (OR 2.15 with p<0.05) among adult men than to better-off counterparts while controlling all the covariates. However, a moderate dietary diversity score significantly decreases the likelihood of heart disease (OR 0.88 with p<0.10) and Cancer (OR 0.71 with p<0.05) for adult men compared to a lower score of dietary diversity. In addition, age, marital status, drinking and smoking habits, occupation, and wealth index are also significantly associated with the odds of non-communicable diseases among adult men.

Effect of Household Diet Quality on Health Outcomes in Nigeria

“…The examination uncovered that diets of high quality, gauged by indices such as the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), and Dietary Approaches, are associated with substantial reductions in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (22%), the risk of all-cause mortality (22%), occurrences or fatalities from CVD (22%), and cancer (15%), especially colorectal cancer. A similar association was observed between the quality of diet and NCDs by Dolui et al (2023) who showed that the incidence of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease are higher at lower score of dietary diversity. Examining variations in diet quality and health outcomes based on store preferences, Dhakai and Khadka (2021) demonstrated that lowincome households allocating a significant portion of their food budget to fast-food establishments and convenience stores typically maintain low-quality diets, contributing to an increased risk of obesity.…”

Dietary Diversity and Nutritional status of teachers in Ogun state, Nigeria

“…Dietary diversity, defined as consuming a variety of foods from various food groups, is acknowledged as a crucial element of a well-balanced diet [1]. It guarantees the availability of vital vitamins, minerals, and nutrients-all of which are necessary for preserving general health and averting non-communicable illnesses [2,3]. According to Neuhouser [4], eating a varied diet lowers the chance of developing chronic conditions like diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases.…”

Do Precision and Personalised Nutrition Interventions Improve Risk Factors in Adults with Prediabetes or Metabolic Syndrome? A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials

“…A healthy diet is widely recognised as a crucial factor in reducing the risk of prediabetes, MetS, and other non-communicable diseases [13,14]. However, current approaches to providing universal dietary recommendations or guidelines do not consider individual variations in dietary response.…”