title: Differences in perceptions and fast food eating behaviours between Indians living in high- and low-income neighbourhoods of Chandigarh, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased density of fast food restaurants is associated with increased prevalence of obesity in developed countries. However, less is known about this relationship in developing countries undergoing rapid urbanization and how differences in neighbourhood income affect the patronage of fast food outlets. The purpose of the study is to explore the differences in fast food preferences, perceptions, and patronage between Indians living in high- and low-income neighbourhoods.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study recruited 204 men and women (35 to 65 years in age) from high- and low-income neighbourhoods who completed a questionnaire on fast food consumption. The questionnaire asked participants to define fast food and to provide reasons for and frequency of visits to fast food restaurants. The differences were analyzed using Chi square and t-tests for categorical and continuous variables, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants from a high-income neighbourhood were more likely to perceive Western -style fast food as fast food, while people from the low-income neighbourhood were more likely to identify food sold by street vendors as fast food (p <0.001). Furthermore, compared to participants from the high-income neighbourhood, people from the low-income neighbourhood were more likely to report buying food from street vendors while less likely to dine out at both fast food and non-fast food restaurants (p<0.001). Although the high-income neighbourhood group was more likely to report enjoying eating at fast food restaurants than their low-income neighbourhood counterparts, there were no significant differences in the reasons for visiting fast food restaurants (convenience, price, social enjoyment, and quality of meals) between the two groups. Both groups preferred home cooked over restaurant meals, and they recognized that home cooked food was healthier.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, consumption of fast food was low. People from a high-income neighbourhood dined out more frequently and were more likely to perceive Western-style food as fast food compared to their counterparts from the low-income neighbourhood.
authors.affiliation: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada. cra25@sfu.ca
authors.forename: Christopher Robert
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Aloia
authors.forename: Danijela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gasevic
authors.forename: Salim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yusuf
authors.forename: Koon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chockalingam
authors.forename: Binod Kumar
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Patro
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Scott Alexander
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lear
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057140:Fast Foods; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012147:Restaurants; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors