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| One in four Indian adults overweight or obese: Health Ministry sounds alarm | | | Muskan Thakur
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 4: Nearly one in four Indian adults is now overweight or obese, highlighting the growing burden of lifestyle-related diseases in the country, the Centre informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
In a written reply to an unstarred question by Rajya Sabha MP Milind Murli Deora, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav said that according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-21), 24 per cent of women and 23 per cent of men in India are overweight or obese. The survey also found that 3.4 per cent of children below five years of age are overweight based on weight-for-height measurements.
The Minister further said that the Indian Council of Medical Research's National Non-Communicable Diseases Monitoring Survey (2017-18) estimated the prevalence of obesity among adults aged 18 to 69 years at 6.2 per cent. To address the rising burden of obesity and other non-communicable diseases, the Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy focusing on preventive healthcare, healthy eating and lifestyle modifications.
As part of the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) conduct community-based risk assessments, including waist circumference measurements, using the Community-Based Assessment Checklist (CBAC) to identify individuals at risk.
The Ministry is also implementing the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) strategy under the National Health Mission (NHM), which includes interventions to tackle nutritional challenges, including obesity among children and other high-risk groups.
The Government said the Eat Right Movement, launched by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), seeks to promote healthy and nutritious eating habits while creating awareness about the health risks associated with the excessive consumption of foods high in salt, sugar and fat, which contribute significantly to obesity.
In addition, nationwide initiatives such as the Fit India Movement encourage citizens to adopt healthier lifestyles through regular physical activity and fitness.
The Government is also promoting healthy living through wellness activities at Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs, yoga programmes conducted by the Ministry of AYUSH, awareness campaigns through print, electronic and social media, and monthly health camps aimed at educating people about healthy lifestyles.
Special attention is being given to children and adolescents through the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) and the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), which provide preventive, promotive and curative interventions, including early screening and treatment of health conditions, to reduce the long-term risk of obesity and other lifestyle-related diseases.
The Centre said these measures form part of its broader strategy to curb the growing prevalence of obesity and promote healthier dietary and lifestyle practices across all sections of society. |
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