In India, 21.8 crore men and 23.1 crore women, totalling up to 44.9 crore or nearly a third of the country’s projected population, will be overweight or obese by 2050, predicted a study published in Lancet.
One of the major reasons that is driving the obesity epidemic in the country is the surge in consumption of processed foods high in salt, sugar and fat, said the study.
Obesity in adulthood is also caused by childhood undernutrition, which triggers the accumulation of energy in fat tissues. This increases the risk of early onset of a host of lifestyle disorders such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer, said the study.
“Multinational food and beverage corporations and fast-food chains are shifting their investments from high-income countries to low and middle-income countries, where population growth, improvement in per-capita income and weaker regulations have created favourable markets for expansion. Between 2009 and 2019, the largest annual growth in ultra-processed food and beverage sales per capita was observed in Cameroon, India, and Vietnam,” the study said.
According to the study, the prevalence of obesity and overweight among boys in India rose from 0.46 crore in 1990 to 1.3 crore in 2021, and is projected to surge to 1.6 crore by 2050. Among girls, it rose from 0.45 crore in 1990 to 1.24 crore in 2021, and projected to surge to 1.44 core in 2050.
According to an Indian Express report, Aparna Govil Bhasker, a medical professional who leads the scientific committee for Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society of India, said: “Increasing urbanisation has led to reduced physical activity, longer commute times, and desk-bound jobs. A shift towards calorie-dense, processed foods high in refined carbohydrates, trans fats and sugars has significantly contributed to weight gain. – Rising work-related stress, poor sleep, and mental health disorders have been linked to obesity.”
Current govt policies inadequate
The current government policies are unlikely to halt the tide of the obesity epidemic because only 40 per cent of the countries had an operational policy, strategy or action plan to address it. This policy coverage was reduced to just 10 per cent in low and middle income countries, the study said.
Globally, over half of all adults and a third of children and adolescents will become overweight or obese by 2050, the study said.
The study also said that the rising prevalence of obesity in low and middle-income nations — combined with persistent childhood malnutrition and pervasive infectious diseases — can cripple healthcare systems with an added burden of disease.
