AMERICAN CITIZEN V/S INDIAN CITIZEN

Life in a developed country versus life in a developing country can be very different. What you eat, where you live and how long you live for, are all dependent on everything from the economy, to education, to the employment opportunities in each country. Today we’ll be looking at how life in two nations, situated on opposite sides of the globe, compares in all these areas and more. Average American vs Average Indian.

AN AMERICAN FAMILY

                       

AN INDIAN FAMILY

The population of America is just under 326 million people with the average age being 37.9 years old. India’s population is an impressive 1.4 billion, which is the second largest population in the world after China, and the average age of an Indian person is 29. The life expectancy for both Indian males and females is 66.9, with India ranked at 126 on the global life expectancy chart. America does much better, ranking at 31, with men typically living to the age of 76.9 and women living a little longer to 81.6. When it comes to height, the average American male is 5 feet 9 inches (175.7 cm) and for a female it's 5 feet 3 and a half inches (161.8 cm). The average height of an Indian male is 5 feet 5 inches (164.9 cm), and an Indian woman is 5 feet (152.6 cm). The average weight of an American citizen is 178 lb (80.7kg) with 73.9% considered to be above their ideal body weight. And in India, the average person is 127 lb (57.7 kg) with 24.2% considered to be above their ideal body weight.

TYPICAL AMERICAN FOOD

TYPICAL INDIAN FOOD

                        
That’s quite a difference so let’s take a look at how the diets of these two nations compare, and whether that has an influence. Americans are known for their love of hamburgers, buffalo wings, deep dish pizzas, Texas barbeque, and of course, good old fashioned hot dogs, all foods that have a high calorie count. Indians, on the other hand, like dishes full of spice, from chicken tikka masala, which is chunks of roasted marinated chicken in a spiced curry sauce, or Rogan Josh which is lamb or goat also with a spiced sauce, both of which are generally eaten with rice and naan, which is an Indian style of bread. These very different food styles may account for the difference in average weight between Americans and Indians. But things are changing, with fast food such as McDonalds now readily available in Indian cities. CNN featured an article about the rise of obesity in India, referencing a research paper in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, headed by Dr. Pradeep Chowbey. The paper stated that a survey of 10th, 11th and 12th graders in public schools found that 33% of them were obese. Another study of 4,000 children in Delhi found 22% were overweight and 6% qualified as obese.

OBESITY AMONG YOUNG CHILDREN  IN INDIA

OBESE AMONG AMERICAN CHILDREN

 So we’ve looked at physical stuff, height, weight and lifespan, what about the day-to-day reality of living in these two nations and how that compares? Cost of living in the USA vs. India - Renting a one bedroom apartment in a city center in India will cost you around $200, while in a US city, you’ll be lucky to get a place for under $1200. There is a huge difference across the board whether you’re buying groceries, paying utility bills, or eating out. Consumer prices in the United States are 184% higher than in India, restaurant prices in the United States are 290% higher than in India, and grocery prices in the United States are 183% higher than in India. And the same goes for salary; if you are a skilled professional in India, it’s possible to earn between $4,000 to $5,000 per month, which is a decent salary considering how much you’ll save on living costs. In the USA, on the other hand, you can make between $6,000 and $7,000 as a skilled professional. So, higher in the US, but not compared to how much higher the cost of living is.

What about education in India vs The US?
Indian Education System – India’s education system has changed a great deal in the last 10 years with big improvements in the quality of education. There’s been updated infrastructure, better qualified teachers, improvements in content, and E-learning is gradually becoming a trend in schools. Academic divisions in India are broadly divided into the following categories: Pre-primary, Primary, Secondary, Higher secondary, Graduation, and Post-Graduation. Teachers can start teaching to elementary classes after gaining a masters or bachelors degree, but they have to continue to study if they want to become a qualified teacher and teach in higher level classes; Class sizes average 50 students a class per teacher, so much larger than US class sizes; There’s greater emphasis on core subjects, with sports and extracurricular activities being optional; Math is compulsory till 10th grade; Most of the government run public schools are poorly managed and lack decent infrastructure; and even the lower grade children have to carry several books to school.

INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

                               

AN INDIAN CLASSROOM

American Education System- both State and local government play a part in designing the curriculum. America follows a three level system: Elementary school, Middle School, High school and Post-secondary or college. Teachers must hold state certification and licenses to teach; Class sizes are around 20 to 30 students per teacher in each class; Sports and extracurricular activities are considered equally important as core subjects; Math is compulsory till 11th grade. Public schools are well maintained and managed with better infrastructure than in India; and Students don’t need to carry lots of books to school. In India, although both English and Hindi are considered to be official languages, over 80% of the people speak or understand Hindi, making it the most widely used language in the nation and something you’ll need to have a basic understanding of, if you plan to live in India.

AMERICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

                             

AN AMERICAN CLASSROOM

So, that’s my look at average Americans vs average Indians. Perhaps you’ve spent time in both these countries and have your own opinion on how day-to-day living compares?
Let me know in the comments.