Two different surveys released back to back by India and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently have underlined common concern: Obesity is on the rise at an alarming level among adults as well as children.
While the WHO report has attributed marketing of unhealthy foods and non-alcoholic beverages besides declining physical activity as a major factor in the increase in numbers of children being overweight and obese, particularly in the developing world including India, the recent survey by the Union Health Ministry, which covered all age groups, shows sedentary lifestyle as well as unhealthy diets reason for the dangerous trend.
As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), released last week by the Union Health Ministry, in the past 10 years, the number of obese people has doubled in the country with most of the States experiencing the dangerous trend.
As per the survey conducted by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), released last week, people having Body Mass Index (BMI) over 25 kg per metre square have been considered as obese.
The first phase of the survey says that Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar and Sikkim have more than 30 per cent of their populations falling under the “obese” category while in Bihar, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura and West Bengal, more than 10 per cent population is obese. This is double compared to the last NFHS, which was conducted in 2005-06.
Health condition of children globally too is dismal. As per a WHO commission report, released on Tuesday, childhood obesity has reached alarming rates globally in the developing world, including Asia and Africa where the number of obese and overweight children under five has nearly doubled since 1990.
Overall, the number of obese and overweight children under five rose from 31 million to 41 million between 1990 and 2014. Asia currently accounts for nearly half (48 per cent) of young children categorised as overweight or obese.
The Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) presented the final report to the WHO, culminating a two-year process in 100 countries to address the alarming levels of childhood obesity and overweight globally.
“What’s the big message? It’s not the kid’s fault,” said Peter Gluckman, Commision’s co-chair. Biological factors, inadequate access to healthy foods, a decline in physical activity in schools and the unregulated marketing of fattening foods are among the drivers of a worsening epidemic that requires a coordinated global response, the report said.
“Dieting and exercise alone are not the solution,” Gluckman said. In Indian context, Gluckman’s concerns highlight the urgency to enforce the draft guidelines prepared by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on availability of wholesome and nutritious food in schools to control junk food consumption among children.
The draft guidelines propose to restrict sale or availability of food which are high in fat, salt or sugar content within 50 metres of schools’ premises. This includes chips, ready-to-eat noodles, pizzas, burgers, sugar-sweetened carbonated and non-carbonated drinks, potato fries (commonly called French fries) and confectionery items.
However, the FSSAI is yet to notify the guidelines to ensure better health of the schoolkids
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