BETEL-QUID AND ARECA-NUT CHEWING - IARC Monographs

BETEL-QUID AND ARECA-NUT CHEWING 53
The tobacco included in betel quid varies from region to region. In Uttar Pradesh,
mainpuri tobacco, which is a mixture of tobacco with slaked lime, finely cut areca nut and
powdered cloves or camphor, is commonly used (Wahi, 1968).
(a) Adults
(i) Rural studies
Several studies have investigated the prevalence of betel-quid chewing in limited
population samples.
The prevalence of all chewing habits, with and without areca nut and with and
without tobacco, was recorded in house-to-house surveys among villagers in various parts
of India (Mehta et al., 1971, 1972). There were marked differences between localities and
some differences between sexes (Table 9).
In Ernakulam District, Kerala, information on smoking and chewing habits was
collected during a survey of oral lesions in a sample of 5099 persons aged 15 years and
older (Daftary et al., 1980). Betel-quid chewing, mostly with tobacco, was practiced by
23.7%, smoking by 21.5% and both habits by 9.8% (Table 10). Overall, 34.7% of men
and 32.4% of women indulged in the habit, and only about 0.7% chewed betel quid
without consuming any form of tobacco.
In another house-to-house survey during 1977–78 in Ernakulam District, 12 212
tobacco users aged 15 years or older were identified in a rural population of about 48 000
(Gupta et al., 1986, 1989). Of these, 11 412 were interviewed. Among tobacco users,
37.7% were chewers only, mostly of betel quid, and 14.3% both chewed and smoked
(Table 11). Thus, approximately 50% of tobacco users chewed betel quid. Among tobacco
users, 95.5% of women and 33.6% of men (of whom more than half also smoked)
chewed. Betel-quid chewing was most common in the group aged 35 years and above.
Table 9. Prevalence of chewing habits (with and without
smoking) in house-to-house surveys among villagers in
India a
Location (state) Sample size
Prevalence of chewing habits (%)
With tobacco Without tobacco
Andhra Pradesh 10 169 2.3 0.5
Bihar, Darbhanga 10 340 15 1.3
Bihar, Singhbhum 10 048 13 0.4
Gujarat 10 071 3 1.5
Kerala 10 287 26 0.4
Maharashtra 101 761 b 28 0.6
a From Mehta et al. (1971), unless otherwise specified
b From Mehta et al. (1972)