The new urban problem in India is overnutrition.

Prevalence of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD)

• 84% of IT employees in Hyderabad had fatty liver, indicating MAFLD, and 71% were obese.

• This underscores a larger public health crisis emerging in tandem with the growth of India’s urban economy.

• The underlying drivers are chronic stress, excess salt intake, disrupted sleep patterns, and prolonged sedentary routines, particularly among those in the technology sector.

Urban India’s Crisis

• India ranks second globally in overweight and obesity prevalence in 2021.

• The trend is particularly evident in metropolitan IT corridors, where professionals are becoming the face of a silent metabolic crisis.

• Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) were responsible for 74% of global deaths in 2019, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries, including India.

• Without substantial policy interventions, regions such as South-East Asia are unlikely to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets to reduce premature mortality from NCDs.

Tamil Nadu’s Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) Programme

• The programme has introduced workplace interventions to encourage behavioural change and nutrition awareness.

• The unchecked growth of fast food outlets in metros remains a formidable obstacle.

• The prevalence of overweight and obesity steadily rises with age, from 7% among men (15-19 years) to 32% among those aged 40 to 49 years.

Focus on Manufacturing and Marketing

• While nutrition awareness at the consumer level is growing, it remains insufficient. The greater responsibility lies with regulators, producers, and policymakers.

• The Eat Right India movement promotes safe, healthy, and sustainable food, including hygiene ratings, certification programs, and campaigns.

• The Supreme Court of India recently directed an FSSAI-constituted expert committee to submit scientific and technical advice on food safety matters, including recommendations on food labelling norms.

The Saudi Arabian Model

• The kingdom has embedded NCD prevention into its national policy framework, enforcing calorie labelling in restaurants, imposing a 50% excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, and levies a 100% tax on energy drinks.

• The success of Saudi Arabia lies in the coherence of its strategy — integrating health, regulatory oversight, industry compliance, and civic engagement.