Why is obesity a problem in India?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted the alarming increase in obesity in India, particularly among children.
• Obesity is defined by the WHO as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that poses a health risk.
• National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) data shows an increase in obesity across India over the years.
• The percentage of women who were overweight/obese grew from 20.6% during NFHS-4 (2015-16) to 24% during NFHS-5 (2019-21).
• The prevalence of abdominal obesity in the country was 40% in women and 12% in men.
• Child obesity is a concern, with the World Obesity Atlas 2022 estimating a child obesity prevalence of 10.81% among 5 to 9-yearolds and 6.23% among 10 to 19-year-olds by 2030.
• Obesity in adulthood is a major risk factor for the world’s leading causes of poor health and early death, including cardiovascular disease, several common cancers, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.
• The WHO states that being overweight in childhood and adolescence affects children’s and adolescents’ immediate health and is associated with greater risk and earlier onset of various NCDs.
• Rising levels of obesity in urban India are due to a combination of factors: unhealthy diets loaded with ultra-processed foods, lowered levels of physical activity, and air pollution.
• Cost is another factor, with low-income households consuming more carbohydrates through rice and wheat.
• A study in The Lancet Global Health last year found almost half of all Indians are not sufficiently physically active.
• The usual metric to measure obesity is the Body Mass Index (BMI), but there has been a growing debate about its limitations.
• Updated guidelines for obesity treatment and diagnosis in India have placed special emphasis on abdominal fat distribution.