Obesity On Rise, Fats Should Form Only 20% Of Diet: AIIMS Delhi Director

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, Director M Srinivas on Sunday said cases of obesity are on the rise in rural areas, as much as they are in urban areas, and stressed the need to battle the disease, soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the pressing concern and urged people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. 

In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Mr Srinivas said the biggest challenge is that obesity is a "risk factor associated with everything". "The most common thing we understand is the disease of the heart," he said.

"Even in the rural areas, we are seeing more cases of obesity. It's not just the urban, but also rural pockets facing such problems," he added.

He also highlighted the importance of leading a good lifestyle and exercising, and developing good food habits. "We need to have a balanced diet. The focus should be on proteins because they build the body. The easiest way to control oil intake is also by consuming nuts, flax seeds, etc. Fats should not comprise more than 20% of the total diet. Consume good oil, around two to four teaspoons of oil may be, daily," he said.  

During his monthly radio show Mann Ki Baat earlier in the day, PM Modi said obesity cases have doubled in the last few years, and the more concerning aspect has been the rise in such instances among children. "To become a fit and healthy nation, we have to tackle the problem of obesity. According to a study, today, one in every eight people is suffering from the problem of obesity," he said. 

He urged people to use less oil in food and also pass on the challenge of reducing oil intake by 10 per cent to 10 others.

Mr Srinivas also said it is important to keep a check on the oil intake. "There are two components. Visible and invisible oil. Invisible oil is something, you know, when we take milk, there is an oil in that, there is a fat component in that. Visible oil is what we use everyday. Our consumption of cooking or visible oil is very high in the country, and it is rightly said that we need to restrict that and cut down on that," he said. 

The AIIMS Delhi Director said an individual, depending on the gender, is likely to suffer from obesity if his/her waist measures 80cm-90cm. However, it is the abdominal obesity - a condition where there is too much fat around the stomach and abdomen - that is dangerous, he said. 

Asked whether the problem of obesity is bigger than malnutrition, Mr Srinivas said: "I think we have to tackle both, because somebody is eating more and somebody is eating less. So somebody who is eating less, we need to tell them what is a balanced diet."

He added: "On the other hand, people who are not doing exercises and taking in more calories... that is something which needs to be restricted."