In News:

• Childhood obesity has emerged as a significant public health challenge globally, with developing countries increasingly witnessing a rapid rise in overweight children due to changing lifestyles, dietary patterns, and urbanisation.
• The World Obesity Atlas 2026, released by the World Obesity Federation on World Obesity Day (4 March), highlights the alarming scale of the problem. The report reveals that India ranks second globally in the number of children living with overweight and obesity, underscoring the urgent need for policy interventions and preventive strategies.

Global Scenario

Globally, childhood obesity has increased sharply in the past decade. The report estimates that more than one in five children (20.7%) aged 5–19 years are overweight or obese, compared to 14.6% in 2010. If current trends continue, around 507 million children worldwide could be overweight or obese by 2040.

A large proportion of children with high Body Mass Index (BMI) is concentrated in a few countries. China, India and the United States together account for over 10 million children each living with obesity, making them the major contributors to the global burden.

Childhood obesity also significantly increases the risk of early onset of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). By 2040, it is projected that:

• 57 million children could show early signs of cardiovascular disease, particularly elevated triglycerides.
• 43 million children may develop hypertension.

These projections highlight the long-term health implications of obesity during childhood.

India’s Obesity Scenario

India faces a dual burden of undernutrition and rising obesity, especially among children and adolescents. According to the World Obesity Atlas 2026, India ranks second after China in the number of children with high BMI.

Key estimates for 2025 include:

• 41 million children with high BMI
• 14 million children living with obesity

The health consequences are expected to worsen between 2025 and 2040:

• Hypertension cases: 2.99 million → 4.21 million
• Hyperglycaemia: 1.39 million → 1.91 million
• High triglycerides: 4.39 million → 6.07 million
• Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) (earlier known as NAFLD): 8.39 million → 11.88 million

Lifestyle and nutrition patterns further aggravate the issue:

• 74% of adolescents (11–17 years) fail to meet recommended physical activity levels.
• Only 35.5% of school-age children receive school meals regularly.
• 32.6% of infants (1–5 months) experience sub-optimal breastfeeding practices.

Key Challenges

1. Rising Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): Obesity significantly increases the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. NCDs already account for over 43 million deaths globally each year.

2. Economic and Productivity Loss: Obesity also imposes a large economic burden. In 2019, the cost of overweight and obesity in India was estimated at $28.95 billion, equivalent to 1.02% of GDP (around ?1,800 per capita). Without adequate interventions, this burden may rise to ?4,700 per capita by 2030, or 1.57% of GDP.

3. Urbanisation and Lifestyle Changes: Urban exposure increases obesity risk significantly:

• 1.91 times higher for those living in urban areas up to 5 years
• 2.05 times higher for 6–10 years
• 2.40 times higher for more than 10 years

Sedentary lifestyles, increased consumption of processed foods, and reduced physical activity are major contributing factors.

Government Initiatives

The Government of India has introduced several initiatives to tackle malnutrition and promote healthier lifestyles:

• POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission): Focuses on improving nutritional outcomes among children, adolescents, and women through convergence of nutrition programmes.
• Fit India Movement: Encourages citizens to adopt active lifestyles and regular physical activity.
• Eat Right India: Led by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, it promotes healthy diets, food safety, and reduction of unhealthy food consumption.
• School Health and Wellness Programme: Aims to promote health awareness, physical fitness, and behavioural change among school students.