Obesity among children on the rise in India; top doctors share tips for parents

Homemaker Sunaina Nanda was concerned about her eight-year-old son, Abhimanyu. “While he didn’t really show any signs of illness, he was not really very active,” she says. She finally consulted her child’s paediatrician. Nanda was shocked when she was told by the doctor that her child was bordering on obesity. The doctor pointed out that frequent intake of biscuits and salted wafers was contributing to obesity. Besides, the addiction to computer games and cartoons was not helping matters.  

According to Unicef’s World Obesity Atlas for 2022, India is predicted to have more than 27 million obese children, representing one in 10 children globally, by 2030. It ranks 99th on the list of 183 countries in terms of preparedness to deal with obesity and the economic impact of overweight and obesity is expected to rise from $23bn in 2109 to a whopping $479bn by 2060.

Dr Arun Prasad, Senior Consultant, GI, Bariatric and Robotic Surgeon, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, says, “Childhood obesity is on the rise in India and it won’t be very long when we become the world’s number one nation where childhood obesity is concerned. Twenty-five percent of the children who are obese will end up having diabetes and this can become a major problem too.”

The reasons behind childhood obesity are mainly lifestyle-related and also changes in dietary patterns that Indian genes are not used to. Urban diet is centred on high glycemic index, high refined food with a lot of artificial preservatives inside. “We are lacking in intake of healthy fresh fruits and vegetables. Parents are solely responsible for increasing childhood obesity in children, especially in urban areas,” says Prasad.

Obesity, which is the accumulation of excessive fat in the body, is a global pandemic and childhood obesity is now an epidemic in India. India ranks second in the prevalence of childhood obesity next only to China. According to WHO, obesity is a serious and beckoning public health problem whose prevalence in Indian children is 15 percent, i.e. we have 14.4 million obese children. This can rise to 40 percent in the higher strata of our society. 

Dr Archana Bashir Khan, Pediatric Consultant (Special interest Paediatric Rheumatology), Masina Hospital, Mumbai, says, “Apart from multisystemic adverse physical effect, altered metabolism and cardiovascular consequences, obesity also negatively impacts the psychology of the child. Moreover, this health issue extends into adulthood to cause other problems such as diabetes, hypertension, non-alcoholic fatty liver and cardiovascular diseases. It has been predicted that by 2025, the obesity cases will rise to more than 17 million in India.”

Since obesity is a lifestyle problem, preventive strategies have been an effective public health intervention in reducing the burden of this pandemic. Reducing screen time would not only increase physical activity but would lead to less munching of snacks and exposure to fast food commercials. Nutrition illiteracy is also a big problem leading to this epidemic. Education from grass root levels has to be encouraged in this field which would avoid over and under-nutrition at the same time.

“Increase in high-fibre, low-fat food intake should be encouraged in the diet consumed. White sugar, which is now called the new ‘tobacco’ is now present in almost all forms of commercial junk food and drinks. It has contributed in a major way to spreading this epidemic and has to be avoided. Jaggery powder can be substituted instead. One must consume at least 1.5-2 litres of water every day for the best metabolism and digestion in our body for a balanced diet. Also, 60 minutes of physical activity is needed every day,” says Khan.

Obesity primarily happens either due to excess calorie intake or insufficient physical activity or both. Furthermore, various genetic, behavioural, and environmental factors play a role in its pathogenesis. Childhood obesity is a forerunner of metabolic syndrome, poor physical health, mental disorders, respiratory problems and glucose intolerance, all of which can track into adulthood.

“The most pressing cause behind childhood obesity is their lifestyle, which has changed tremendously over the years. Kids are sitting in front of the TV screen or playing on mobile, with zero to no exercise or physical activity that can boost their physical or mental health. As parents, it is your duty to help your child during this process. You cannot expect them to change their habits, without changing your habits. Children follow their parents and if you want your child to change their behaviour, you need to show them how to do it. You should be a good role model to them, show them how to live a healthy lifestyle and choose nutritious alternatives,” says Dr Kiran Rukadikar, Bariatric Physician and Obesity Consultant, celebrity nutritionist, and founder of DietQueen App.

Childhood obesity is a disease which is not genetic as is generally thought. It is a preventable lifestyle problem and efforts have to be made to curb it at all levels.