Globally, there are more than 1 billion overweight adults, at least 300 million of them are obese. Obesity and overweight pose a major risk for chronic diseases, which includes type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, stroke, musculoskeletal disorders and certain forms of cancer. The key causes are increased consumption of energy-dense foods high in saturated fats and sugars and reduced physical activity. Obesity is a major contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability.

With the advancement in technology, life today has become more sedentary. This lifestyle along with increased consumption of more energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods with high levels of sugar and saturated fats, combined with reduced physical activity, have led to rise in the obesity rates. Obesity is a complex condition with serious social and psychological dimensions affecting virtually all ages and socioeconomic groups. The obesity epidemic is not restricted to the industrialized societies. This increase is often faster in developing countries than in the developed world.

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in India in the 21st century. This is affecting 5 per cent of the country’s population. India is also now following a trend of other developing countries that are steadily becoming more obese. Indians suffer from abdominal obesity compared to people in the West whose bodies are uniformly obese. This body composition puts Indian in the high risk zone for diabetes and hypertension.

The health consequences of obesity range from increased risk of premature death to serious chronic conditions that reduce the overall quality of life. The increasing incidence of child obesity is also a subject of special concern. Childhood obesity is already epidemic in some areas and on the rise in others. An estimated 22 million children under five are estimated to be overweight worldwide.

Considering these points, the BMI limit for the Indians has been revised by the Health Ministry of India in 2008. The Health Ministry has reduced the diagnostic cut-offs for BMI to 23 kg/m2 as against 25 kg/m2 globally. The standards have been set for the first time in the Ministry’s consensus guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome for the country as released on October 2008. The guidelines were released jointly by the Health Ministry, the Diabetes Foundation of India (DFI), the All-India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and 20 other health organizations. This decision is a step to fight against obesity and its direct fallout – Diabetes.

Overweight and obesity as well as their related chronic diseases are largely preventable, and so, if you are obese, then you need help to get rid of this complaint. On this World Obesity Day get your self aware of the facts on overweight and obesity; calculate your BMI, who knows with the changes BMI limits even you could be an obese now!

Related posts:

1. The Two Bothersome “O”s – Overweight & Obesity
2. BMI In Indians
3. Are You Suffering From Diabesity?
4. Lifestyle diseases on the rise!
5. World Kidney Day

Tags: 26th October, AIIMS, All-India Institute of Medical Science, Basic Metabolic Index, BMI, Cancer, Cardiovascular Diseases, DFI, Diabetes, Diabetes Foundation of India, Health Ministry, Hypertension, ICMR, Indian Council of Medical Research, Metabolic Syndrome, Musculoskeletal Diseases, National Institute of Nutrition, NIN, Obesity, Stroke, Syndrome X, World Obesity Day

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