India is grappling with a potential obesity epidemic, especially among its youth, according to a new global analysis published by The Lancet.
The report revealed that in 2022, a staggering 12.5 million children (7.3 million boys and 5.2 million girls) between the ages of 5 and 19 were found to be grossly overweight, a significant jump from 0.4 million in 1990.
Obesity, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), refers to abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that poses health risks. The WHO considers a body mass index (BMI) over 25 as overweight and over 30 as obese. The rising numbers emphasise the necessity for immediate attention and intervention to tackle the escalating health challenge of obesity in the country.
The Lancet study found that in India, 44 million women and 26 million men above 20 years old are now obese, a stark increase from 2.4 million women and 1.1 million men in 1990. The study also shows that over three percent of children and teenagers in India are now obese, a rise of more than three percentage points since 1990. This concerning trend is prompting health authorities in the country to take notice.
There has been a significant rise in female obesity, with women now at 9.8 percent (up 8.6 percentage points from 1990), while men are at 5.4 percent (up 4.9 percentage points).
Globally, India ranks 182nd for obesity in women and 180th for men in 2022 and ranks 174 for both girls and boys. This is a concerning find as India already faces a high burden of diseases like heart disease, strokes, and diabetes. Obesity is a major risk factor, triggering the early onset of these diseases, even among teenagers.
The study also highlights a concerning issue of severe under-nutrition in India. The country has the highest number of underweight girls globally and the second-highest for boys. In 2022, around 35 million girls and 42 million boys aged 5 to 19 were underweight, a decrease from 1990. Among adults, the percentage of underweight women dropped from 41.7 percent to 13.7 percent, and for men, it decreased from 39.8 percent to 12.5 percent in 2022.