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PM Modi’s anti-obesity drive with celeb faces: How serious is India’s obesity challenge?

Lancet defines clinical obesity as a chronic illness that results in alteration in organ functions.

Modi raised the issue of increasing obesity in his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat. (PTI Photo)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again raised the issue of increasing obesity in his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat and even nominated celebrities who can spread the message. “One in every eight people today is troubled by the problem of obesity. Cases of obesity have doubled in the past years but what is even more worrying is that the problem of obesity has increased four-fold even among children… Excess weight or obesity gives rise to many kinds of problems and diseases,” he said, urging people to consume 10% less oil and challenge ten others to do the same.

Among the celebrity ambassadors nominated by Modi were javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and boxer Nikhat Zareen, who said that people should take some time out of their day to exercise and consume a healthy diet to remain fit. Another nominee and renowned cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty urged people to reduce their consumption of carbohydrates such as rice and chapati, sugar and oil to combat obesity. “Obesity today is not a cosmetic problem; it is a very serious medical problem,” the cardiologist said.

How big is India’s obesity challenge?

The burden of obesity is on the rise globally as well as in India. A Lancet study published last year, which tracked global obesity burden between 1990 and 2022 — the one quoted by the Prime Minister in his address — found that prevalence of obesity among women in India increased from 1.2% to 9.8% and among men, from 0.5% to 5.4%.

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Persons with a body mass index (BMI) — ratio of a person’s weight and their height squared, used to estimate population level body size — of more than 30 are considered to be obese. Those with a BMI of over 25 are considered to be overweight.

Importantly, it has become a challenge even among children in the country, even though it is still less than other Western countries. The study found 7.3 million boys and 5.2 million girls to be overweight in 2022. This has increased from 0.2 million each in 1990.

Why is increasing obesity a cause of concern?

Obesity can increase your risk of several chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, several heart conditions, brain strokes, fatty liver disease and several types of cancers including breast, colo-rectal and liver. It can also lead to disorders such as sleep apnoea — a condition that causes a person to stop and start breathing repeatedly in sleep. It can erode bone health and joints.
The Lancet Commission defines clinical obesity as a chronic illness that results in alteration in organ functions regardless of other conditions a person might have.

Why was the definition changed recently?

Experts realised that a simple BMI cut-off was not enough. Those with excess body fat may not always have a BMI of more than 30 but may suffer the health consequences of obesity. On the other hand, people with high muscle mass may have a BMI of more than 30 while being extremely healthy. Some people have excess body fat but still maintain normal organ function.

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That’s why the Lancet commission has changed the definition of obesity to account for muscle mass and the functioning of various organ systems, along with physical characteristics such as height, weight, and waist circumference.

What needs to be done?

Diet, exercise, and other lifestyle interventions become extremely important in people with pre-clinical obesity with the WHO recommending at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity for adults every week. It recommends strength training on two or more days. It recommends 60 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity daily for those between five and 17. Experts say cut carb quota by ensuring non-starchy vegetables are half the plate, proteins such as fish, chicken, or soya make up a quarter of the plate, and rice or chapati the remaining quarter.

Anonna Dutt

Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country’s space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University’s Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More