March 2021 | Volume 37 | Issue 1 | Page 128 Sarhad Journal of Agriculture Research Article Introduction H ealth is the stage of the human intended authority to adapt and manage people in the face of physical, mental or social problems. In general, regular interventions to prevent or cure health problems and promote good health of people are the choice of the intellectual life of a person and society. Numerous studies and reports from diferent organizations and contexts that sets the base of the relationship between health and various factors, including food components (Sarwar et al., 2014, Abstract | Tis study draws the attention towards dietary intake patterns and their health impacts according to diferent communities in the southern Punjab, Pakistan. Southern Punjab has the most impoverished segments of society as compared to other parts of Punjab province. Tis transverse study was conducted in purposively selected three districts of Southern Punjab. Exactly sample size of 600 respondents (300 rural respondents and 300 urban respondents) was randomly selected through equal distribution technique and interviewed by using structured interview schedule. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences and the following key results were obtained. Most of the respondents from the study were above the 30 years of age (mature), illiteracy was high in rural area and most of the respondents were dependent upon business and farming as their livelihood source. Among rural communities, food group of fats and sugars was much popular and urban community of study area was much inclined towards the food group of carbohydrates. Specifcally, in breakfast both of the communities prefer proteins with fats and sugar commodities. In lunch rural community is much attracted towards carbohydrates and dairy products, while urban community prefers wheat bread with fruits and vegetables. Fruits, dry fruits and legumes are a best source of attaining maximum micro and macro nutrients. In comparison to this rural community of the study area perceived that vegetables and fruits are rich in macro and micro nutrients. Keeping in view the dietary pattern of rural as well as urban localities, best suitable timing must be kept in mind for specifc food group to be included in the meal. Less nutritious food items must be used rarely as they contribute less to develop human health. Muhammad Luqman 1, *, Roshan Hussain 1 , Muhammad Yaseen 1 , Muhammad Umer Mehmood 1 , Ijaz Asghar 2 and Usman Saleem 1 1 College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Pakistan; 2 Department of English, University of Sargodha, Pakistan. Received | October 30, 2020; Accepted | December 10, 2020; Published | February 06, 2021 *Correspondence | Muhammad Luqman, University of Sargodha, Pakistan; Email: muhammad.luqman@uos.edu.pk Citation | Luqman, M., R. Hussain, M. Yaseen, M.U. Mehmood, I. Asghar and U. Saleem. 2021. Comparative analysis of dietary intake patterns of rural and urban communities of southern Punjab, Pakistan. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture, 37(1): 128-135. DOI | http://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.sja/2021/37.1.128.135 Keywords | Diet, Food intake, Dietary patterns, Rural and urban communities, Food intake, Policy/ Pakistan Comparative Analysis of Dietary Intake Patterns of Rural and Urban Communities of Southern Punjab, Pakistan