Anti-Obesity Day Highlights Rising Obesity Rates and Health Risks In India

Obesity can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

New Delhi:The Anti-Obesity Day (AOD) is observed globally on November 26. The Day is marked to create awareness about the most serious diseases that come with obesity, afflicting people worldwide.

“Obesity is a major health issue in India and in the last few decades, the prevalence of obesity has significantly increased. Obesity is a risk factor for several of the leading causes of death, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and various types of cancer. So, obesity is one of the leading causes of death,” said Dr RS Mishra, a renowned physician and specialist in internal medicine, at Fortis Hospital, to ETV Bharat.

World Obesity Day encourages practical solutions to help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight, undertake proper treatment and reverse the obesity crisis.

What Is Obesity

Obesity is defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a health risk. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a body mass index (BMI) of over 25 is considered overweight and over 30 is obese. In 2019, an estimated five million non-communicable disease (NCD) deaths were caused by higher-than-optimal BMI.

Rates of overweight and obesity continue to grow in adults and children. From 1990 to 2022, the percentage of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years living with obesity increased four-fold from two per cent to eight per cent globally, while the percentage of adults 18 years of age and older living with obesity more than doubled from 7 per cent to 16 per cent.

“Obesity is one side of the double burden of malnutrition, and today more people are obese than underweight in every region except the South-East Asia Region. Once considered a problem only in high-income countries, today some middle-income countries have among the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity worldwide,” the WHO said.

Obesity And Its Root Cause

World Obesity Day encourages practical solutions to help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight, undertake proper treatment and reverse the obesity crisis.

According to the global health watchdog, obesity rates have nearly tripled since 1975 and have increased almost five times in children and adolescents, affecting people of all ages from all social groups in both developed and developing countries. Obesity is a major risk factor for various non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke and various forms of cancer.

According to WHO, obesity is a complex mixture of dietary, lifestyle, genetic, psychological, sociocultural, economic and environmental factors.

How Can Obesity Be Prevented

According to Dr Mishra, obesity can be prevented by consuming less “bad” fat and more “good” fat. Polyunsaturated fats can improve cholesterol levels and reduce obesity risk.

“Consume less processed and sugary foods, eat more vegetables and fruits, eat plenty of dietary fibre, eat low–glycemic index food, do regular aerobic activities, weight training that involves all your major muscles at least two times per week and focus on reducing daily stress,” said Dr Mishra.

Dr Mishra said that the risk factors that determine obesity can be complex. “They are often a combination of your genes, socioeconomic factors, metabolism and lifestyle choices,” he said.

Lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating behaviours, not getting enough good-quality sleep, high amounts of stress, health conditions, genetics and medicines are the root causes of obesity, said Dr Mishra.

WHO’s Action Plan Against Obesity

WHO is responding to the global obesity crisis on many fronts, including monitoring global trends and prevalence. It is working on the development of a broad range of guidance addressing the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity, and providing implementation support and guidance such as the Report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity.

Obesity Rate In India

According to the latest study published in The Lancet, there were 70 million adults in India, who were obese, with 44 million women and 26 million men. The study also found that 5.2 million girls and 7.3 million boys under 19 were obese.

“Obesity rates in India have increased significantly since 1990. In 1990, the obesity rate for women was 1.2% and for men it was 0.5%. In 2022, the obesity rate for women was 9.8% and for men it was 5.4%,” the study has found.