ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FOOD CONSUMPTION PATTERNS AND DISEASE IN EASTERN INDIA

India, the second most populous country in the world, exhibits considerable cultural, religious, and socioeconomic diversity. Across the country, the population faces a double burden of malnutrition, including both undernutrition and lifestyle-related disorders such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Key contributors to these health challenges include poor dietary habits, lack of physical activity, and harmful practices such as smoking and alcohol consumption. This study aimed to identify the causes and contributing factors of prevalent diseases in Eastern India and examine the relationship between local food habits and disease occurrence in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha, Nagaland, and West Bengal. The study utilized secondary data collected from sources including Google Scholar, PubMed, and ResearchGate. Findings indicate that malnutrition is particularly prevalent among rural, urban, and tribal populations in these states, while lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases are widespread across the region. The results highlight the urgent need for community awareness programs and nutrition education initiatives to promote healthier dietary practices and reduce the burden of both malnutrition and lifestyle diseases in Eastern India.