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Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

70% people in metros fat or obese: Survey by Malathy Iyer

Urban India's greatest comforts are the cause of a super-size health problem: obesity. Easy access to high-calorie packaged foods, sedentary lifestyles and a predilection for gizmos have resulted in almost 70% Indians in mega-cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore or Chennai being overweight or obese, says a new multi-city survey. The profiling of 46,000 urban Indians-all of whom have access to the internet-showed that 49% were obese or had a body mass index (BMI) of 25. Another 24% had a BMI between 23 and 24.9, which puts them in the overweight category.

Bariatric surgeon Dr Ramen Goel said these figures are in keeping with his study, which he had conducted in Mumbai eight years ago. "We had interviewed and tested people working in corporate as well as public sector units in Mumbai and found that 60% were either overweight or obese. At that time, people felt our results were exaggerated, but now we are vindicated,'' he said.

The obesity march holds true for Delhi as well. Dr Anoop Misra from Fortis Hospital in Delhi said his soon-to-be-published study showed that 40-70% of the capital's denizens were either overweight or obese. The seriousness of the obesity march in urban areas is best underlined when one considers the all-India obesity data. Consecutive National Family Health Surveys conducted between 2000 and 2006 pegged obesity in India between 8% and 15% of the general population.

The survey shows that north Indian cities of Delhi and Chandigarh are the obesity capitals with 53% of those surveyed being obese. A breakup shows that every second woman is obese and the worst-affected age group the 24-39 bracket.

"When one takes into consideration underdeveloped states or the smaller cities and towns, the overweight figure seems lower,'' said Dr Misra, adding that the new survey obviously looked at a section that is urban, affluent, wired and low on physical exercise.

Incidentally, earlier this year, India had lowered the BMI cutoff for obesity. "Now, Indians with a BMI of over 23 are considered obese,'' said Dr Goel, adding that the new scale would put many more people in the overweight category. "The new survey suggests that we are now on a par with other developed nations if we compare the percentage of population that is obese, at least as far as urban and affluent sections of our society are concerned,'' he added.

The survey, conducted by oil and fortified foods company Saffola, attributed this swell to the fact that urban Indians eat unhealthy food. In fact, 53% of those surveyed ate one or less serving of vegetables or salads in a day. The worst vegetable/salad eaters were in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Coimbatore and Hyderabad, said the survey.

On the eve of World Anti-Obesity Day, doctors however wanted to underline a subtle difference. "The problem is not about being overweight; it is about controlling obesity-related diseases,'' said one doctor.

Dr Goel said, "We could have people with 25 or even 28 BMI who are extremely fit and healthy.'' The problem, he said, begins when their obesity starts telling on their blood pressure or sugar levels.

The yet-to-be-published study conducted by Delhi-based Dr Anoop Misra quantifies how poor health results from obesity that begins with childhood. "If one compares India's obesity problem with the United States, we are not badly off. But if one considers how quickly and steeply the problem is rising, then there is a cause for concern," he said. His study, in fact, shows that obesity-related problems such as hypertension and diabetes in Delhi and Jaipur rose sharply in the 25-35 age group.

The Saffola survey also shows that the 30-39 age group has higher lipid readings and higher BMIs. Mumbai-based nutritionist Shilpa Joshi expresses her concern for children's health. "Nowadays, children sit in front of computers or televisions and have easy access to packaged food, which are high on calories and sugar,'' she said. This is in stark contrast to the scene a few decades ago. "When we were younger, there were no packaged foods. We ate home-cooked food that had low glycemic index. Such foods release calories slowly and not instantly like an aerated drink or packaged chips,'' she said.