24th July 2025 (15 Topics)
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India’s Obesity Crisis
Context
A recent commentary in The Hindu highlights India’s rapidly rising obesity burden, especially its links with cancer risk, urging for a shift in policy focus toward household-level and community-based prevention strategies.
Obesity – Definition and Classification:
- Obesity is defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a health risk.
- The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a key indicator: BMI ?25 is classified as overweight, and BMI ?30 as obese.
India’s Obesity Landscape:
- According to recent national data:
- Nearly 20% of Indian households have all adults overweight.
- 10% of Indian households have all adults obese.
- Urban obesity is significantly higher than rural, showing clear socio-economic and lifestyle patterns.
- States like Tamil Nadu and Punjab report 2 out of every 5 households with all adults classified as overweight or obese.
Link with Cancer and NCDs:
- As per IARC (2023), obesity increases cancer risk significantly:
- Increases cancer risk by 17% for individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions.
- Linked to 13 types of cancers, including breast, colorectal, oesophageal, and gallbladder cancers.
- Obesity fuels chronic inflammation, a major risk factor for:
- Insulin resistance
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Cancer
- Type-2 diabetes
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