With the country grappling with the pandemic, nearly one out of two Indians were found to have a poor quality of life, according to a survey released by Danone India in collaboration with CII.
The survey was conducted by research agency IPSOS across eight Indian cities with a sample size of 2,762 respondents, and scored them on key parameters of physical health, psychological health, social relationships and environment. Quality of Life (QoL) is an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals.
“Nearly one out of two people had a poor quality of life (46.2 per cent). More women (50.4 per cent) were found to have poor QoL than men (42 per cent),” the survey findings said, adding that physical health scores of women were less than men.
Dietary habits, sleep schedule
The survey noted that poor dietary habits, erratic sleep schedule and sedentary lifestyle have adversely impacted the quality of life, but added that during the pandemic health and wellness have become centrestage.
In terms of cities, Kolkata recorded the highest percentage of people with poor QoL score, followed by Chennai, Delhi, Patna, Hyderabad and Lucknow. “Mumbai had the highest percentage of people (68 per cent) recording a good quality of life,” the statement added.
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Himanshu Bakshi, Managing Director, Danone India, said the survey has been released to mark the fifth edition of the Protein Week celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of protein. “Although more than 90 per cent of the respondents were aware about the role of physical health and nutrition, only 9 per cent of respondents were getting adequate protein in their diet, which is alarming. Through our collaboration with CII and nutrition experts we endeavour to sensitise people about the role of nutrition and protein in improving quality of life,” Bakshi added.
Vinita Bali, Chairperson, CII National Committee on Nutrition, said: “The findings of the recently conducted survey once again dimensionalise the gap in nutrition, even among the upper income groups in our cities. This can only be tackled by taking personal responsibility for the choices we make as consumers and, on the supply side, by making nutritious food more available, accessible and affordable. At CII, we continue to work closely with private and public sector companies, regulatory and development agencies, State governments and NGOs, to address this challenge.”