Epidemic of Excess Weight

Mar 5

According to World Obesity Atlas 2023, more than half of the world's population, or more than 4 billion prople will be overweight or obese by 2035, i.e. an increase from 38% (2.6 billion) in the next 12 years.

Low or middle-income countries in Asia and Africa are expected to see the greatest increase in obesity prevalence.

India is not an exception. Nearly 11% of the population will be obese, and childhood obesity will increase by 9.1% during the same period.

The most disturbing fact is that rising prevalence of obesity is expected to be steepest among children and teenagers, and could more than double in the next 12 years.

Till a few years back, cardiac arrest in young adults was rare, but now daily there is some news of a boy playing football, or a girl going down for a water park slide, or a boy sitting in classroom, or a teenager taking a stroll of school corridor, going into cardiac arrest and collapsing then and there.

Heart attacks in young people under 40 or even 30 have been increasing over past decade, as per Ohio State's Survey. A common cause of sudden cardiac death in young people is considered to be genetic condition that causes the heart muscle to grow too thick. But obesity is not a less culprit.

Obesity is caused when extra calories are stored in the body as fat. It's the mother of various diseases like diabetes, hypertension, hair loss, infertility etc.

But our children prefer online games rather going to playfields. Everything is now available online. Work from home has given another reason for most working people to sit comfortably in air conditioned room.

It may be a bit interesting to know how obesity impacts national economies by reducing productivity and life expectancy and increasing disability and health care costs.

Obesity is estimated to cost the global economy rising to over $4 trillion of potential income in 2035, nearly 3% of current global GDP. Overall impact on Indian GDP will be 1.8% by 2035.

But a beginning has to be made at individual level, and urgently.

We must take action to curb the growing epidemic of excess weight by choosing healthier foods and beverages, increasing physical activities, avoiding undue stress and limiting screen and sit time.