SRINAGAR: India’s obesity burden is climbing steadily, with government data showing that nearly one in four adults is now overweight or obese, and women are marginally more affected than men. Figures from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), conducted between 2019 and 2021, reveal that 24 per cent of women and 23 per cent of men fall into the overweight or obese category. The trend, the government says, is visible across both urban and rural areas and is being driven by unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and environmental changes, compounded by the growing consumption of processed foods and reduced physical activity.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha on August 12, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav said the Ministry is treating obesity as a serious non-communicable disease challenge. Under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), financial and technical assistance is being provided to states and Union Territories to strengthen infrastructure, train human resources, expand early diagnosis facilities, improve treatment access, and run targeted awareness drives.
The government’s approach spans multiple platforms and ministries. The Ayushman Aarogya Mandir network is being used for community-level wellness activities, yoga-based interventions are promoted by the Ministry of AYUSH, and awareness campaigns are run through print, electronic, and social media. Special “Health Melas” are held to encourage healthy living, while school health screenings under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram counsel students and teachers on cutting down sugar and oil intake. The Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram trains peer educators and healthcare providers to integrate obesity awareness into adolescent health sessions, and community groups such as Mahila Arogya Samitis and Jan Arogya Samitis are mobilised to spread messages at the grassroots through home visits, events, and meetings.
Screening is also a key element of the strategy, with over 1.77 lakh Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs conducting population-based checks using the Community-Based Assessment Checklist for individuals aged 30 and above. Waist circumference is measured as part of the process to identify those at risk early. Alongside these efforts, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s ‘Eat Right India’ and ‘Aaj Se Thoda Kum’ campaigns target healthier eating habits, while the Fit India Movement and Khelo India initiatives promote physical activity.
On the nutrition front, the Ministry’s Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition strategy under the National Health Mission aims to improve women’s health throughout their lives, addressing undernutrition and overweight alike. Officials say this integrated approach, combining lifestyle interventions, nutrition awareness, and early detection, is essential to curb the rising prevalence of obesity and its associated health risks, including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
