







































Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal 5 (1): 177-194 January 2022 

RESEARCH PAPER 
 

Food Choices and Beliefs: Factors Influencing Dietary 
Preferences in Chandigarh, India 
 
Suraj Das and Priya 

 
Abstract: Food choices are influenced by a myriad factor, ranging from socio-
economic to socio-cultural. Socio-cultural influences, in particular, are neglected at 
the policy-formation stage, hampering implementation among the target 
population. A culturally diverse region, Chandigarh is home to varied communities 
including Jats, Sikhs, Gujjars, Rajputs, and migrant groups. Hence, analyzing 
collective food and dietary patterns from a socio-cultural perspective helps us 
understand the underlying social relations that affect food choices as well as 
nutritional security. We utilized data from this preliminary cross-sectional study i) 
to explore the impacts of socio-cultural and socio-ecological factors, and ii) to 
examine the impact of demographic and lifestyle factors on traditional food choices 
and eating practices. Using a mixed-methodology approach—with a sample of 70 
respondents, of which 15 were also interviewed in-depth—we identified that social 
and cultural norms, besides ecological factors, significantly influence dietary habits. 
However, demographics relating to age and gender have no significant influence on 
traditional food practices. Therefore, it is crucial to integrate value-based and 
culturally acceptable foods so as to transition to sustainable eating habits and an 
evidence-based, inclusive food security policy.  
Keywords: Socio-cultural influences; food security policy; dietary preferences in 
Chandigarh 

1. INTRODUCTION  

Eating habits are a complex phenomenon, deeply entwined with rituals, 
social functions, faith and spirituality, values and beliefs, cultural identity, 
and feelings of membership for particular groups and communities (Mintz 
& Du Bois 2002). Anthropologists have long recognized the significance of 
food in defining cultural differences, especially behavioural norms 

 
 Indian Institute of technology, Roorkee, sdas@hs.iitr.ac.in  
 Indian Institute of technology, Roorkee, priya@hs.iitr.ac.in  

Copyright © Das and Priya 2022. Released under Creative Commons Attribution © 
NonCommercial 4.0 International licence (CC BY–NC 4.0) by the author.  

Published by Indian Society for Ecological Economics (INSEE), c/o Institute of Economic 
Growth, University Enclave, North Campus, Delhi 110007.  

ISSN: 2581–6152 (print); 2581–6101 (web).  

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37773/ees.v5i1.492  

mailto:sdas@hs.iitr.ac.in
mailto:priya@hs.iitr.ac.in
https://doi.org/10.37773/ees.v5i1.492


Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal [178] 

 

surrounding the selection, preparation, and allocation of food (Lévi-Strauss 
2012). Even scholarly research on the anthropology of food acknowledges 
that food choices are a symbol of ethnic identity. Eating culture can be 
defined by a “particular flavor and food type, recipes that combine food 
elements in particular ways, meal formats that aggregate the dishes in 
predictable manners and meal cycles that alternate meal formats into 
ordinary and festival meals” (Messer 1984, 226). 

Thus, each community possesses distinctive dietary habits, which depend 
upon localized ecological niches. Another important expression of cultural 
adaptation to the environment is religion, which often emphasizes 
sustainable good choices (Mukerji 2019). Yet, there are multiple research 
gaps; most research related to food beliefs and behaviours in India focus on 
the nutritional content of traditional food choices rather than exploring the 
socio-cultural belief systems attached to them (Tirodkar et al. 2011). 

Furthermore, various researchers have proposed that cultural habits are 
integral to ethnic identities, implying that dietary patterns hold special 
significance for ethnic communities (Adekunle, Filson, and Sethuratnam 
2012). For instance, food consumed on special occasions such as festivals 
are an integral part of routine dietary habits, and, thus, a means to maintain 
specific communal traditions (Azar et al. 2013). Analyzing collective food 
and dietary patterns from the socio-cultural perspective helps us understand 
the underlying social relations affecting food choices. Giddens’ 
structuration theory has been used to study food choice patterns, especially 
his concept of social practices, which he proposes is an interplay of 
“agency” and “social structure”, or, in other words, rules and resources 
(Giddens 2004). 

On the one hand, society’s socio-cultural dimensions are often considered a 
“drag” in the modern era, holding back progress and development. On the 
other, the dominance of exclusively techno-economic developmental 
projects has resulted in the high incidence of failure of such projects. Thus, 
it is imperative to acknowledge the importance of often-overlooked factors 
such as cultural beliefs and norms. Further, traditional knowledge of dietary 
habits has emerged more relevant in the age of globalization, where due to 
negligence of the socio-cultural dimension, the chances of policy failure are 
higher (Wood, Tappan, and Hadj 2004). 

Chandigarh, located in the Shivalik range of the Himalayas, is a culturally 
diverse state as it is home to migrants from different states of India. 
However, the diversity of food choices and eating practices of various 
cultural groups such as Sikhs, Jats, Gujjars, and Rajputs has not been widely 
recognized (Mukerji 1980).  



[179] Suraj Das and Priya 

 

There have been only a few exploratory studies on food behaviours in 
Chandigarh compared to studies that focus on food consumption at the 
macro level in terms of quantity and nutritional value (Sachdeva et al. 2011; 
Bharti and Sakshi 2016; Kaur et al. 2018). Further, local perspectives, i.e., 
the local community’s beliefs about traditional food, are entirely 
unacknowledged (Das 2021). While research has accounted for socio-
economic perspectives, at least in agriculture and related areas, it has failed 
to integrate social and cultural beliefs associated with traditional dietary 
habits in studies around food cultivation and consumption (Diamond-
Smith et al. 2016). 

Our study explores the societal and cultural factors that influenced food 
choices during the pandemic and the larger period of significant climate 
change in Chandigarh, India, in the early 2000s. The preliminary research 
focused on examining the significance of various socio-demographic 
elements such as age and gender in the selection of food. As Chandigarh is 
one of India’s most modern cities, studying the impact of socio-cultural 
norms and values on local food habits would be highly educational and 
informative, as it would serve as a frame of reference for other modern 
cities in India. Hence, in this study, we have employed a mixed 
methodology approach to examine and document the factors influencing 
food choices—specifically, Chandigarh’s traditional foods and eating 
culture.  

The pilot study aims: (i) to examine the importance of social and customary 
factors in food choices, and (ii) to analyze the significance of socio-
demographic elements among the local residents of Chandigarh, India. 
Based on the reviewed literature related to the significance of customary 
beliefs in food choices and having identified some key gaps, the current 
study explores the dynamics of food and culture. 

2. METHODOLOGY 

2.1 Sampling and Data Collection 

Our study utilized a cross-sectional descriptive survey design, as this 
method permits the incorporation of multiple variables simultaneously 
(Sedgwick 2014). Since there are diverse ethnic communities in Chandigarh, 
a descriptive survey design will help in developing a comprehensive 
understanding of the mentioned themes (Cresswell et al. 2003; Cresswell 
and Clark 2017). The questionnaire was divided into two sections. Section 
A captured the demographic information of the respondents, i.e., age, 
gender, and marital status; and Section B consisted of the questions for the 



Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal [180] 

 

conceptual model, related to socio-cultural, individual, societal, and climate-
change factors. A five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 2 = 
disagree; 3 = neutral; 4 = agree; 4 = strongly agree) was used to measure 
the responses.  

A literature review was also conducted to better understand the 
phenomena; for the in-depth analysis, we conducted semi-structured 
interviews with 15 respondents. A sample size of 70 respondents were 
surveyed between September and October 2020 for the primary study 
through convenience sampling in Chandigarh, India. Due to the restrictions 
and limitations posed by the pandemic, convincing people to participate in 
the study was challenging. Due to the constraints on the sample size, time, 
and space, convenience sampling was the only viable option that allowed us 
to interview people for the pilot study. 

2.2 Analytical Tools and Techniques 

We conducted a literature review using well-reputed databases such as 
Google Scholar, Scopus, and Sciencedirect. Initially, 44 studies were 
shortlisted after applying filters to their titles and summaries. All the mined 
articles were read and filtered, after which only 32 studies were 
incorporated into the literature. Additionally, a qualitative data analysis 
software, i.e., NVivo version 11, was used for data mining and extracting 
the relevant content from the descriptive interviews—as shown in Figure 1. 
This was done with the aid of specific keywords or codes such as “food 
habits”, “food choices”, “local foods”, “dietary change”, “cultural norms”, 
and “traditional beliefs”. Finally, themes were generated for data analysis. 

Figure 1: Flow Chart for Data Analysis 

 
Source: Author’s compilation, 2020 

Out of the total 15 questions, 7 were close-ended (Table 2), while the 
remaining were descriptive in nature for the sake of data analysis (Table 1). 
To avoid confusion, poorly phrased responses were cleaned up prior to 
research. The data were entered into SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social 
Sciences), version 20. For the quantitative data analysis (Oti 2018), both 
descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and 
inferential statistics (independent samples t-test, and one way between 
groups analysis of variance, ANOVA) were used to study respondents’ 
perceptions towards factors that influence choice of traditional foods and 
to determine the differences that potentially exist between groups. The 



[181] Suraj Das and Priya 

 

independent samples t-test was used to compare the impact of factors 
where the sample could be divided into two independent groups: gender 
(male and female) and marital status (married and unmarried). For age, 
which was organized into more than three groups, ANOVA was used. The 
qualitative data were analyzed based on the broad themes of the study. 

Table 1: Descriptive Questions for Interviews 

Sr. 
No. 

Questions Significant 
Factors 

1. How do religious beliefs affect your food choices? Religious beliefs 

2. What cultural norms do you follow related to 
dietary habits? 

Cultural norms 

3. How do your personal beliefs affect your food 
selection? 

Individual factors 

4. How does climate change affect your food habits? Climatic 
variabilities 

5. What special ceremonies do you celebrate? Customary 
ceremonies 

6. What food do you consume exclusively at 
festivals? 

Traditional festivals 

7. What are some taboos that are followed in 
different ceremonies? 

Local taboos 

8. How did you observe the dietary shift? Please 
explain. 

Dietary shift 

Source: Author’s compilation, 2020 

 

3. FACTORS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT IN THE CHOICE OF 
TRADITIONAL FOODS IN CHANDIGARH, INDIA  

To investigate the factors that influence the choice of traditional foods in 
Chandigarh, the questions were divided into four broad themes: socio-
cultural, individual, societal, and pertaining to climate change. For 
descriptive analysis, we analyzed the frequency, percentage, mean, and 
standard deviation of the gathered responses. 

 

 

 



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Table 2: Factors Affecting the Choice of Traditional Foods in Chandigarh 

Factors Responses 

Socio-cultural factors 
S
A A N D 

S
D 

W
M 

1. Culture plays a significant role in choosing food 18 
3
4 

1
2 3 3 

3.8
5 

2. Food is an essential part of my culture 24 
2
9 

1
1 4 2 

3.9
9 

3. Religious norm is an essential factor in the 
choice of food 12 

2
5 

1
4 

1
0 9 3.3 

Mean of means = 3.71; St. D = 1.09 
         

Individual factor          

4. My belief matters in the selection of foods 18 
2
8 

1
2 9 3 3.7 

Mean of means = 3.7; St. D = 1.12 
         

Societal factor          

5. Societal norms are fundamental 14 
1
7 

1
7 

1
6 9 

3.2
6 

Mean of means = 3.26; St. D = 1.315          

Climate change           

6. I have observed a dietary shift in recent years 13 
3
9 

1
0 5 3 

3.8
3 

7. Climate change is a factor responsible for 
dietary change 24 

2
1 

1
6 8 1 

3.8
7 

Mean of means = 3.85; St. D = 1.0            

St. D standard deviation, WM weighted mean, SD strongly disagree, D disagree, N 
neutral, A agree, SA strongly agree. 
Source: Author’s compilation, 2020 

The outcome shows that climate change is the most dominant factor (M = 
3.85, Std. D = 1.0), followed by socio-cultural factors (M = 3.71, Std. D = 
1.09), individual factors (M = 3.70, Std. D = 1.0), and societal factors (M = 
3.26, Std. D = 1.31). Hence, this indicates that climate change and socio-
cultural factors greatly affect the participants’ choice of traditional food, 
even more than individual and societal factors. 

3.1 Climate Change Factors  

Evidence from historical statistical studies and assessment models show 
that climate change will have varied and widespread impact on food 
systems. Climate change will affect production and consumption patterns, 



[183] Suraj Das and Priya 

 

i.e., agricultural yield, food quality, and food safety (Vermeulen, Campbell, 
and Ingram 2012). Some respondents explained that the climate of their 
region had nudged them to adopt the available food crop. They also 
explained that certain festivals were associated with the season and climate; 
thus, food choices have a contextual meaning that varies with specific 
seasons and the associated festivals of particular geographical regions, but 
climate change has affected these consumption patterns.  

In the northwestern belt, we prefer lentils, vegetables, and wheat chapatis, 
contrary to fish and rice, a staple diet in most eastern state communities. 
The geography of a region has a significant impact on its culture. Since 
wheat, grain lentils, and gram cultivation are suitable for the northwestern 
belt, the population adapted to this food culture. (37-year-old female) 

There has been a loss of equable climate over time. Prevalence of summer 
conditions is a deterrence to my non-vegetarian food habits. (43-year-old 
female) 

Modak during Ganesha Festival, sesame laddus for Sankranti, etc., is 
believed to be much more suitable for health to eat during the festival 
because of the season and climate. (49-year-old male) 

3.2 Socio-cultural Beliefs 

The various religious concepts circulating within the region, for instance, 
ahimsa (non-violence), religious ideologies, and percepts and institutions of 
endogamous marriages, play a significant role in deciding food practices 
such as avoidance of meat and non-vegetarianism. To cite an example, most 
traditional Jains show uniformity and homogeneity in their food practices 
(Natrajan and Jacob 2018). This statement made by a respondent highlights 
the significance of their religious beliefs: 

There are many taboos related to non-vegetarianism, like we should not eat 
meat on Tuesday because it is dedicated to God. There are other beliefs 
such as those that claim that meat is meant for evil. (46-year-old male) 

There is a significant relationship between food and the social and cultural 
identity of a group. For example, some Hindu castes follow a strictly 
vegetarian diet. Hence, they are required to keep a constant watch on their 
daily dietary habits so as to maintain their ethical and religious food choices 
(Bisogni et al. 2002). A respondent emphasized the importance of practising 
vegetarianism for various cultural festivals: 

For me, the dish of Mahashivratri festival and New Year (According to the 
Hindu calendar) are more crucial because the food items have all the grains 
in the house. (32-year old male) 



Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal [184] 

 

In this context, culture, traditions, customs, and taboos influence dietary 
patterns significantly. Religion is an essential factor that influences food 
habits (Devi et al. 2014). For example, taboos associated with eating and 
drinking cultures, as made evident by the respondents’ observations, 
indicates that society greatly influences the eating culture. A respondent 
described some food taboos driven by cultural beliefs. 

Shuran (Elephant foot yam) is very relevant to the Deepawali festival. My 
mother used to say: “Eat this; otherwise, you will be born as a shrew in the 
next generation.” (42-year-old female) 

Women consuming alcohol often goes against societal norms in India and is 
still not widely accepted. (51-year-old male) 

Traditional knowledge associated with native food habits plays an important 
role in defining the identity and culture of an individual and community, 
which further guides cultural acceptability, sufficiency, and nutrient 
adequacy (Tremblay et al. 2020). Food and dietary habits help satisfy 
humans’ nutritional needs and are also an expression of social and cultural 
identity (Adaawen 2021). Individual factors are also crucial in deciding food 
habits. As described by a respondent, who associated his choice of food 
with a particular cultural and social identity: 

I belong to a Brahmin family, and therefore, my whole family does not 
consume meat. Still, I like chicken meat very much, so I eat it sometimes. 
Nevertheless, my parents do not know that I am a non-vegetarian, and I do 
not want them to know about this either. (28-year-old male) 

For humans, food and dietary choices do not simply pertain to the act of 
obtaining nutrition for the body’s survival and wellbeing. The socio-cultural 
beliefs of people define the foods that are acceptable for consumption and 
those that are not (Warde, Beardsworth, and Keil 1998). There is a very 
strong association between societal norms and personal choices (Kim 
2016). Associating a particular festival with social interactions, and 
consequently to food, a respondent commented: 

I believe that the festival-specific sweets, til-gur during spring, chakli and 
modak during Diwali/Ganesh Chaturthi, are associated with community 
interaction. (26-year-old male) 

Similarly, societal beliefs are inherited through generations in the form of 
narratives. Describing her childhood experience, a participant explained the 
significance of food, and in particular, food grains, with relation to God:  

We used to learn from our elders; food is also a God known as Ann Devta 
(Grain God). We must not waste food; otherwise, Ann Devta would be 
unhappy with us. (23-year-old female) 



[185] Suraj Das and Priya 

 

4. WHAT IS THE INFLUENCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC 
VARIABLES AND LIFESTYLE IN THE SELECTION OF 
FOODS? 

Food choices are also influenced by caste or sect affiliation, gender, age, 
and societal status (Appadurai 1981). Our findings show that individuals’ 
diets are driven by normative choices, aligning with their beliefs. To 
illustrate this, an independent sample t-test was performed, the results of 
which are shown in Table 3, followed by an inference. 

Table 3: Impact of Gender on Factors Affecting Dietary Habits  

Factors Sex Mean St. D t df 
Sig.  
(2-tailed) 

Socio-cultural 
factors 

Male 3.68 1.2 –0.32 68 0.74 

Female 3.77 0.89    

Individual factor 
Male 3.62 1.25 0.73 68 0.46 

Female 3.82 0.9    

Societal factor 
Male 3.26 1.3  0.03 68 0.97 

Female 3.25 1.35    

Climate change  
Male 3.8 1.61 –0.55 68 0.61 

Female 3.92 0.88    
Source: Author’s compilation, 2020. 

There were no statistical differences in the perception of male and female 
respondents with regards to socio-cultural and other influences on food.  

The findings of Beardsworth et al. (2002), Pliner and Mann (2004), and 
Wardle et al. (2004) show that gender has a strong correlation with food 
choices. Research shows that women are more sensitive to cultural 
influences than men while selecting foods to be consumed. Women are 
more concerned about the ethics and morality of their food choices and 
also reported concerns regarding the environment and animal cruelty in 
relation to food production. However, the results of our study show that 
gender differences are insignificant in the selection of traditional foods in 
Chandigarh. 

An independent sample t-test was used to analyze the effects of 
respondents’ marital status on traditional food choices. The results are 
shown in Table 4.  

 



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Table 4: Mean, standard deviation, and t-test results for marital status and factors 
affecting the traditional food choices 

Factors 
Marital 
Status 

Mean Std. D T df 
Sig.  
(2-tailed) 

Socio-
cultural 
factors 

Married 3.77 1.05 0.42 68 0.36 

Unmarried 3.68 1.13       

Individual 
factors 

Married 3.67 1.09 0.32 68 0.74 

Unmarried 3.76 1.14       

Societal 
factors 

Married 3.28 1.45 0.10 68 0.91 

Unmarried 3.24 1.24       

Climate 
change  

Married 3.78 1.10 –0.44 68 0.66 

Unmarried 3.89 0.94       

Source: Author’s compilation, 2020 

There was no statistical difference in the perception of married and 
unmarried respondents with regards to the food influences we covered in 
our survey.  

The results of the studies conducted by Lipowicz, Gronkiewicz, and Malina 
(2002) and Deshmukh-Taskar et al. (2007) show that marital status 
influences food choices. However, the findings of our study show that 
marital status does not affect traditional food choices in Chandigarh. 

To identify the effect of age on respondents’ food choices, a one-way 
between-group ANOVA was used, and the results are shown in Table 5.  

The ANOVA results show that there is no statistically significant difference 
in the socio-cultural factors [F (4, 65) = 1.21, p = .61], individual factors [F 
(4, 65) = 0.75, p = .55], societal factors [F (4, 65) = 1.07, p = .37], and 
climate change factors [F (4, 65) = 0.84, p = .51] at 0.05 alpha level based 
on respondents’ ages (Table 5). This finding contradicts those of Hendrie et 
al. (2013), Scaglioni et al. (2018), and Kim (2016), who observed that age is a 
significant factor in food choices. Based on our results, it might be 
concluded that age does not affect traditional food choices.  

Therefore, based on the analysis, socio-cultural factors play a prominent 
role in food choices in a traditional household along with society’s influence 
on individual beliefs. Further, food choices greatly depend on seasonal 
variations, which also have cultural connotations in traditional households. 
In addition, from the statistical analysis, it can be concluded that 
demographic factors (age, gender) and lifestyle (marital status) have no 
significant influence on food choices in Chandigarh, India. 



[187] Suraj Das and Priya 

 

Table 5: Impact of Age on Factors Affecting Traditional Food Choices 

 
Source: Author’s compilation, 2020 

 

 

 

Factors 
Age 

(Years) Mean 
Std. 

Deviation 
Sum of 
Squares Df 

Mean 
Square F Sig. 

Socio-
cultural 
factors 

14–23 3.65 1.13 4.43 4 1.13 1.21 0.61 

24–33 3.84 0.94 78.73 65 1.21   

34–43 3.11 1.97 83.17 69    

44–53 3.83 0.07      

54+ 1.00       

Total 3.72 1.09      

Individual 
factor 

14–23 3.69 1.13 3.85 4 0.96 0.75 0.55 

24–33 3.83 1.03 82.84 65 1.27   

34–43 2.67 2.08 86.70 69    

44–53 3.50 0.7      

54+ 4.00       

Total 3.70 1.21      

Societal 
factor 

14–23 3.2 1.25 7.43 4 1.858 1.07 0.374 

24–33 3.45 1.35 111.93 65 1.720   

34–43 2.67 1.15 119.37 69    

44–53 3.50 2.121      

54+ 1.00       

Total 3.26 1.31      

Climate 
change  

14–23 3.85 0.95 3.27 4 0.81 0.84 0.53 

24–33 3.94 1.01 66.61 65 1.02   

34–43 3.16 1.44 69.89 69    

44–53 3.75 0.06      

54+ 3       

Total 3.85 1.00           



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5. DISCUSSION 

Customary food habits are based on the indigenous knowledge of the 
community, which is in sync with the cultural norms or dietary practices. 
Traditional knowledge surrounding food cultivation and nutrition promotes 
the sustainable conservation of biodiversity, which further assures food 
security for the local population (Vicziany and Plahe 2017). However, due 
to changing dietary habits around the world and the demand for functional 
foods, more people are returning to traditional diets. Numerous studies 
have observed the significance of indigenous and cultural beliefs for eating 
habits and dietary choices in traditional societies (Otunola and Martiryosan 
2021). Additionally, traditional sources of nutrition are more resilient 
against climatic variability. Yet, policymakers have prioritized efficiency 
over customary eating habits after the success of the Green Revolution, due 
to the rising demand of the growing population (Patel, Sharma, and Singh 
2020).  

Culture-specific beliefs and values require deeper exploration with the aim 
of better understanding the factors that impact the acceptance of foods. 
There is a need to integrate indigenous socio-cultural norms right at the 
policy-formation level. Food security policies must be in sync with socio-
cultural beliefs for greater acceptance among stakeholders. The socio-
cultural context and people’s attitudes and perceptions towards ethnic diets 
get little attention in food research because of the dominance of technology 
and the assumption of rationality of economics. In such studies, humans are 
assumed to be individuals who take decisions without societal interference. 
However, that is far from true; according to social scientists’ research, 
individuals are always influenced by societal norms and values. Similarly, 
food choices are also governed by socio-cultural beliefs. Therefore, cultural 
perspectives and contextual variations that influence dietary choices and 
practices should be accounted for while designing policies to ensure food 
security for a community. 

The socio-ecological aspect of society evolves with the interaction of 
ecological, demographic, technological, and economic factors. Ecological 
and related resources are primarily stable in society because they are nature-
determined (Ritu and Gupta 2014). For example, in a study conducted in 
Andhra Pradesh, India, local food choices that aligned with cultural values 
were promoted through women farmers’ organizations known as sanghams. 
The integration and promotion of traditional foods such as healthy fats, 
pulses, vegetables, roots, and tubers resulted in the prevention of women’s 
chronic energy deficiency (Salomeyesudas et al. 2013). Also, due to the 
failure of authorities to accommodate traditional foods and indigenous 
cooking knowledge, it is unreasonable to expect traditional communities to 



[189] Suraj Das and Priya 

 

follow their dietary advice. Therefore, Scott (1997) emphasized including 
culturally relevant resources to disseminate information related to health 
advisories. 

The significance of indigenous foods has only recently been recognized in 
policy discussions around sustainable consumption. Still, plenty more needs 
to be done to integrate culturally vital food practices into food policy 
conversations. The eating practices of the Canadian population is a typical 
example of food having been strongly influenced by cultural and ethnic 
norms (Halloran et al. 2015). The desire for traditional foods is evident 
among the indigenous communities of Canada, as observed in a 
participatory research project, which showed that people were curious 
about traditional food, despite some degree of consumption. Additionally, 
the participants conveyed their support for traditional cuisines and 
emphasized the significance of the socio-cultural beliefs of the community 
(Hanemaayer et al. 2020).  

Further, the distinctive features of traditional diets have a special place in 
indigenous societies. In Romania, for instance, raw material produced 
locally is preferred in traditional recipes due to customary dietary habits, 
along with the association of food with specific values, cultures, and history 
(Nagy and Dabija 2020). Like in our study, some participants also revealed 
that the concept of drying certain vegetables in sunlight was based on their 
customary and traditional habits. Our observations are analogous to the 
earlier study conducted by Baloch, Jogezai, and Mohamad Ismail (2020), 
which noted the strong influence of societal norms on the dietary habits of 
an individual in a community. 

In Chandigarh, socio-economically backward and underprivileged groups 
constitute a significant portion of the population, i.e., 21% of the 
population fall below the poverty line and suffer from food insecurity (RBI 
2020). Further, social and cultural norms dominate their way of life. Thus, it 
is imperative to integrate these cultural norms in policies aimed at ensuring 
food and nutritional security to underprivileged communities. Therefore, 
Koenig et al. (2012) emphasized that community values are vital for 
sustainable dietary practices. 

In addition, religious beliefs are crucial in defining dietary choices; 
therefore, policy-makers could also consider highlighting specific teachings 
of holy scriptures to stress moderate and light consumption of certain 
foods according to dietary guidelines. The dissemination of culturally 
relevant, appropriate, and ethically valid information should be the focus of 
ethnic media, faith-based organizations, cultural events, and various other 
platforms where people gather (Mukherjea et al. 2013). We conducted this 



Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal [190] 

 

study to develop an in-depth understanding of the factors that affect the 
food choices and dietary habits of local communities. The results indicate 
that individual norms and belief systems also matter in addition to 
economic and scientific knowledge. Therefore, for greater acceptance and 
adoption of food security policies, the socio-ecological perspective of local 
communities must be integrated. 

6. CONCLUSION 

Food choices in Chandigarh are influenced by various factors ranging from 
socio-economic to socio-cultural. However, most often, the latter gets 
neglected at the policy-formation level, which further hampers 
implementation among the targeted population (FAO 2021; UNESCO 
2021). Hence, we conducted a pilot study to document and explore the 
significance of social and cultural factors for food behaviours. Based on the 
findings, our study concludes that several factors influence food choices, 
but socio-cultural factors are particularly crucial in influencing dietary 
practices. However, we found that demographic variables (gender and age) 
and lifestyle variables (marital status) did not significantly influence the local 
population’s dietary habits.  

Food and eating practices are a crucial element of the culture of 
Chandigarh. Hence, socio-cultural factors play a significant role in 
determining whether a diet is accepted (Baloch, Jogezai, and Mohamad 
Ismail 2020). Additionally, sustainable food consumption has a low 
environmental impact and has the potential to boost food and nutritional 
security for present and future generations (Meena et al. 2019). Therefore, it 
is crucial to integrate value-based and culturally acceptable food to 
transition towards sustainable eating habits and an evidence-based, inclusive 
food security policy (Mazac and Tuomisto 2020). 

DECLARATION OF OWNERSHIP 
The authors declare that the present article is an original research work. 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST 
The authors declare that there are no competing interests. 
 
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