Editorial: War on Calories

In India, 11% of the population will be obese with a very high annual increase of 5.2% in adult obesity between 2020-2035 and 9.1% increase in childhood obesity

Hyderabad: Triglycerides and LDL Cholesterol are the new age demons feeding into our collective existential angst. As binge-eating has become a by-product of despair for most, the curse of calories is truly upon us. War on calories is what we need to gear up for because, according to the World Obesity Atlas 2023, more than half of the world’s population will be overweight or obese in another 12 years unless urgent action is taken to curb the growing epidemic of excess weight. The report , which must serve as a wake-up call for an increasingly sedentary society, found that low or middle-income countries in Asia and Africa are expected to see the greatest increase in obesity in the coming years. More than 4 billion people will be obese or overweight by 2035, the report has predicted. This reflects an increase from 2.6 billion (38%) of the world’s population in 2020 to over 4 billion (50%) by 2035. And, these figures exclude children under 5 years. In India, 11% of the population will be obese with a very high annual increase of 5.2% in adult obesity between 2020-2035 and 9.1% increase in childhood obesity. Those who were already struggling with obesity before the pandemic outbreak now face far greater health risks. There has been growing evidence that links obesity and Covid-19 with an increased risk of higher mortality rates. The pandemic-induced isolation meant that the people were largely cut off from gyms, community cardio sessions and celebrity-inspired fitness goals. The Work From Home (WFH) option, OTT platforms and food delivery apps have further pushed people to their couches.

What is alarming is that the rising prevalence of obesity is expected to be steepest among children and teenagers, rising from 10% to 20% of the world’s boys during the period 2020 to 2035, and from 8% to 18% of the world’s girls. Childhood obesity could more than double from 2020 levels, to 208 million boys and 175 million girls by 2035. The report predicts that the global economic impact of the health conditions linked to overweight and obesity will reach $4.32 trillion annually by 2035 if prevention and treatment measures do not improve. In India, the overall impact of health issues related to obesity on national GDP will be 1.8% by 2035. Lower-middle income countries with large populations, such as India, Pakistan and Indonesia may quite quickly follow the pattern of upper-middle income countries such as Mexico, Brazil, and Turkey which are witnessing a rapid rise in obesity prevalence. India is currently tackling a double whammy—malnutrition as well as obesity. Comprehensive national action plans are needed to prevent and treat obesity which is linked to several illnesses including type-II diabetes and some forms of cancer. It accounts for four million deaths annually with the global rates having tripled over the last five decades.