Calories Concept:
This definition of poverty focuses on calorie intake instead of expenditure on food items and therefore is based on nutritional requirements of human beings. Once there is an agreement on the acceptable calorie intake, the measure allows for comparisons across time and space. This concept is based on the premise that every individual must satisfy certain basic nutritional requirements for survival. A basket of goods is selected in such a way as to maximize one's nutrient intake at the lowest possible cost. The market cost of the selected basket is then derived and the monetary value of purchasing the selected basket of basic food is calculated. Households unable to meet the cost of obtaining the basket of food items are categorized as critically poor, or indigent, underprivileged and deprived. The market cost of the basic food basket represents the lower limit of poverty and is the critical poverty line. 'This method, like the per capita food consumption concept mentioned above, ignores non-food requirements of households.