What’s in the news?

• According to a new study published by Lancet journal, which examined the trends of malnutrition across the world over the last 32 years, India has seen a steady increase in obesity levels.
• At the same time, the prevalence of undernutrition has also remained high in the country. 
• As a result, India has become one of the countries with a high “double burden”, the study blamed a lack of access to affordable and nutritious food for the prominence of undernutrition and obesity. 

What are the parameters of being obese and underweight?

• • According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), obesity is an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that poses health risks.
  • Adults are considered to be obese, if they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or more. 

• BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters.

• An adult is considered underweight if their BMI is less than 18 kg/m2. 

What does the data tell about obesity and thinness in India?

• Obesity in women has spiked in the past three decades — it increased from 1.2% in 1990 to 9.8% in 2022. There were 44 million women living with obesity in 2022. Meanwhile, obesity in men increased by 4.9 percentage points during the same period, with 26 million men living with obesity in 2022.
• Notably, there has also been a significant increase in childhood obesity. While 0.2 million boys and 0.2 million girls were obese in 1990, 7.3 million boys and 5.2 million girls were obese in 2022.
• Despite a significant decline, the prevalence of underweight continues to be high across genders and age groups. The study found that 13.7% of women and 12.5% of men were underweight. 

How do socio-economic conditions affect obesity and undernutrition?

• Obesity is no longer the disease of the rich in India. Eating junk food is cheaper and easier. For example, the cost of samosas and pakoras available at roadside shacks is less than fruit and vegetables. 
• There continues to be a rural-urban divide when it comes to obesity. An analysis of the NFHS-5 data from last year shows that the prevalence of obesity was 31.7% in urban women and 19% in rural women. It was 28.6% among urban men and 18.8% among rural men.
• Undernutrition persists in extremely remote and rural parts of poorer states where access to any kind of food is low. 

What needs to be done?

• The study proposes that the focus has to be on programmes that enhance healthy nutrition, such as targeted cash transfers, food assistance as subsidies or vouchers for healthy foods, free healthy school meals, and primary care-based nutritional interventions.
• Other than ensuring food security, the study also mentioned that there is an urgent need for supporting weight loss in those with obesity.