Abdominal Obesity in India Driven by Poor Diets, Inactivity: Soumya Swaminathan

New Delhi: Rising abdominal obesity in India is primarily driven by unhealthy diets and physical inactivity, as highlighted by Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO) and currently the Principal Advisor for the Health Ministry's tuberculosis program. Swaminathan emphasized the need to expand access to healthier food options and exercise facilities to combat this growing health issue.

Abdominal obesity is increasingly recognized as a significant precursor to various non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, which are seeing a rapid rise both in India and globally. "Abdominal obesity is largely a result of poor diets and lack of physical activity," Swaminathan wrote in a post on X. She underscored the importance of boosting public awareness, improving nutrition literacy, and ensuring wider access to healthier diets and spaces for physical activity to curb the problem.

Swaminathan’s statement aligns with a recent study on abdominal obesity published in The Lancet Regional Health. The study, led by researchers from IIHMR University in Jaipur and Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, analyzed data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted between 2019 and 2021. It found that abdominal obesity is more prevalent among women (40%) compared to men (12%). Notably, the study revealed that about 5 to 6 out of 10 women aged 30 to 49 are affected by abdominal obesity. The issue is especially pronounced among older women and non-vegetarians.

The study also highlighted that abdominal obesity, traditionally assessed using Body Mass Index (BMI) in India, was measured through waist circumference for the first time in NFHS-5. Researchers evaluated waist measurements of 6,59,156 women and 85,976 men aged 15-49, revealing that even some women with a healthy BMI exhibited abdominal obesity. States like Kerala (65.4%), Punjab (62.5%), Tamil Nadu (57.9%), and Delhi (59%) reported high prevalence rates, whereas Jharkhand (23.9%) and Madhya Pradesh (24.9%) had comparatively lower rates.

Urban populations showed higher rates of abdominal obesity; however, the trend is also rising among rural and lower socioeconomic groups, indicating the "double burden of malnutrition" in India. Researchers urged government intervention to develop targeted strategies for groups with high abdominal obesity, particularly women in their thirties and forties, to mitigate emerging health risks.

As per IANS, the study underscores the urgent need for action to address abdominal obesity through holistic interventions focusing on healthier diets and increased physical activity across all sections of society.