Adults in India will see an increase of 5.2 percent in obesity levels, and child obesity will see a 9.1 percent swell by 2035, according to the latest report from the World Obesity Federation.
The report, titled ‘The Obesity Atlas 2023,’ highlighted that rising income levels across various income groups in the country heightened the risk of obesity, especially among children.
The report stated that along with India, other lower-middle-income countries like Pakistan, Indonesia and Nigeria were on track to follow the historical example of upper-middle-income countries such as Mexico, Brazil, and Turkey. These countries had seen a rapid increase in the prevalence of obesity, especially among children and adolescents, due to the increasing availability of calorically dense and processed food items.
The report added that the prevalence of obesity will increase the highest among Indian women while Indian girls will still see the lowest rate of obesity prevalence.
The data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), which was conducted between 2019 and 2021, found that 25 percent of the surveyed population was overweight, an increase from 20 percent of the population that was overweight in 2015-16.
Among men, between the age of 15-49 years, the obesity rate was 23 percent while the obesity rate in women in the same age group was 24 percent.
The survey found a direct correlation between age and the prevalence of obesity, with older adults more likely to be obese than younger individuals.
Obesity and disease
The Obesity Atlas 2023 put India at the rank of 99 out of a total of 183 countries in terms of Obesity-NCD (non-communicable diseases) preparedness. Obesity is also a major contributor to the NCDs, that refer to a range of chronic diseases that are not caused by infections and are not transmissible from person to person. These diseases include diabetes, heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancer, and respiratory disorders, among others.
Obesity increases the risk of developing NCDs in several ways, such as by causing insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and alterations in hormonal balance. Additionally, excess body fat can put a strain on the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
