Context:
According to a new study published by the Lancet, India has become one of the countries with a high “double burden,” of Obesity and Undernutrition.
Relevance:
GS II: Health
Dimensions of the Article:
- Meaning of Obesity & Undernutrition
- Key Highlights of the Study Published by the Lancet
- Impact of Socio-economic Conditions on Obesity and Undernutrition
- Impact of Obesity & Undernutrition on Health
Meaning of Obesity & Undernutrition
Obesity:
- Defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat posing health risks.
- In adults (20 years and above), obesity is identified if the Body Mass Index (BMI) is 30 kg/m² or more.
- BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters.
- School-aged children and adolescents (5 to 19 years) are considered obese if their BMI is two standard deviations above the mean.
Underweight:
- One of the four broad sub-forms of undernutrition.
- An adult is considered underweight if their BMI is less than 18 kg/m².
- School-aged children and adolescents are considered underweight if their BMI is two standard deviations below the mean.
Key Highlights of the Study Published by the Lancet:
Obesity in India:
- Obesity in women increased from 1.2% in 1990 to 9.8% in 2022, with 44 million women living with obesity.
- Obesity in men increased by 4.9 percentage points during the same period, with 26 million men living with obesity in 2022.
- Significant increase in childhood obesity, with a 3 percentage point spike in girls and 3.7 percentage points in boys.
- In 2022, 3.1% of girls and 3.9% of boys were obese.
Underweight in India:
- Despite a decline, underweight prevalence remains high, with 13.7% of women and 12.5% of men.
- Thinness in Indian girls is the highest globally, with a prevalence of 20.3%.
- Thinness in Indian boys is the second-highest globally, with a prevalence of 21.7%.
Why Women are more Obese than Men:
- Women’s vulnerability to weight gain is attributed to limited access or time for physical activities.
- Prioritizing family nutrition over personal health contributes to weight gain in women.
- Considering central obesity, rates could be as high as 40% to 50% in various parts of the country.
- Central obesity, an excess accumulation of fat in the abdominal area, is a better predictor of future disease risks like diabetes and hypertension.
Impact of Socio-economic Conditions on Obesity and Undernutrition:
- Obesity in India is no longer limited to the affluent; affordability and convenience of junk food contribute to its widespread prevalence.
- Example: Cheaper and tastier options like samosas and pakoras are more accessible than nutritious fruits and vegetables.
- Despite affecting a larger population, a rural-urban divide persists in obesity rates.
- National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) data reveals obesity prevalence of 31.7% in urban women and 19% in rural women.
- For men, it is 28.6% in urban areas and 18.8% in rural areas.
- Undernutrition prevails in extremely remote and impoverished areas of states like Bihar, Jharkhand, or Odisha, where access to food is limited, and some might consume only one meal a day.
Impact of Obesity & Undernutrition on Health:
- Obesity’s health consequences are evident, leading to increased risks of diabetes, hypertension, heart attacks, and strokes, particularly in children.
- The effects of undernutrition may not be as apparent but are likely to contribute to a higher burden of non-communicable diseases.
- Non-communicable diseases result from unhealthy behaviors rather than infections.
-Source: The Hindu
