Obesity must be controlled to reduce chronic disease risk

Obesity, a known precursor for many conditions like diabetes, hypertension, mental health and cancers, must be efficiently controlled to curb these non-communicable diseases, said experts here on Sunday, a day ahead of World Obesity Day.

World Obesity Day is observed every year on March 4 to raise awareness about the condition and its implications.

A recent global analysis, published by The Lancet, showed that every eighth person or more than 1 billion people worldwide are living with obesity. While 43 per cent of adults were overweight in 2022, the numbers more than doubled worldwide in the last three decades. Among children and adolescents (5 to 19 years of age), the condition has increased four times.

The numbers are even more staggering in India, where non-communicable diseases are already sky-high.

In India, a whopping 12.5 million children (7.3 million boys and 5.2 million girls), aged between five and 19, were grossly overweight in 2022. Among adults, the numbers rose from 2.4 million women and 1.1 million men in 1990 to 44 million women and 26 million men aged above 20 in 2022, the global report showed.

“Obesity has detrimental effects on health, raising the risk of chronic conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Its emergence is attributed to various factors, including environment, lifestyle, and culture,” Dr. Gaurav Bansal, Senior Consultant - General Laparoscopic Laser and Bariatric Surgery, Marengo Asia Hospital, Gurugram, told IANS.

“Childhood obesity, particularly in those under 10 years old, poses significant implications for both immediate health and long-term well-being.