80 percent of IT workforce in Hyderabad is overweight, says Dr Nageshwar Reddy

A recent study conducted by the city-based Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) Hospitals among the IT workforce in Hitec City has indicated that 80 percent of them are overweight

Hyderabad: The IT workforce in Hyderabad continues to remain a high risk group for Non-Communicable Diseases due to high prevalence of obesity.

A recent study conducted by the city-based Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) Hospitals among the IT workforce in Hitec City has indicated that 80 percent of them are overweight.

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“80 percent overweight is very significant. But people are not taking it seriously. It is very important to take it very seriously because I think lot of health complications can be prevented and lot of savings can be done on health costs if weight is under control. Overweight and obesity also become a national problem,” says founder chairman of AIG Hospitals, Dr D Nageshwar Reddy.

The leading gastroenterologist, while taking part in a program on obesity, said that AIG Hospitals also conducted a survey of schools in Hyderabad, which indicated very high prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among children.

“40 percent of children in government schools have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), highlighting the urgency of action. Obesity is no longer a future concern and it is a present crisis. If we don’t intervene now, the burden on individual health and the healthcare system will be overwhelming,” Dr. Reddy added.

Dr. Reddy also raised concerns over country’s obesity rates. “Obesity is not just a Western issue, as 60 percent of Indians are overweight, and 30 percent are on the path to obesity,” he said. He warned that obesity worsens conditions affecting the heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys.