“Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, and fatty liver disease. Obesity is associated with some cancers, including endometrial, breast, and ovarian cancers. is also associated with. , prostate, liver, gall bladder, kidney and colon,” said Dr. G. Parthasarathy, Surgical Gastroenterology, Laparoscopic and Hepato-Pancreaticobiliary Surgery, KIMS Hospitals, Secunderabad.
“Obesity is defined as a body mass index greater than or equal to 27.5 kg/m2 in the Asian population. South India (46.51 percent) has the highest prevalence and eastern India has the lowest (32.96 percent) “Weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery) is one of the options today that effectively treats morbid obesity in people where more conservative measures such as diet, exercise, and medication have failed,” he said.
Managing Director of Amor Hospital Dr. Commenting on obesity and its financial consequences, Kishore B. Reddy said, “Obesity is a rapidly growing problem among people in India. The modernization and urbanization of our societies have brought some unwanted changes to our lives. Today, we see more and more people consuming energy-dense and fat-rich foods; but there is a significant decrease in physical activities. This causes people to gain weight and this has significant financial implications! Obese individuals and families spend more not only on their health, but also on some simple needs like transportation.
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“Obese individuals or families are forced to spend on personal transportation, even if their economic situation does not allow it. Similarly, there are many factors that increase the average cost of living for obese people compared to non-obese people.”
Health Effects of Obesity
“According to the World Bank, many low- and middle-income countries like India are burdened with both undernutrition and a high prevalence of obesity. The easy availability of junk food and packaged foods has increased the risk of obesity even economically. The weaker sections of society, especially also in urban areas of India. While eating such foods is dreamy among the modern generation, it is important that people are made aware of the consequences of regular consumption,” said Dr. Padmanabha Varma, Sr. counsel added. Endocrinology – Super Specialist in Thyroid and Hormones, SLG Hospitals.
“Investing in children’s nutrition, improving urban infrastructure by adding cycling and jogging paths, mandating physical activity in schools and others are some of the positive interventions that governments can make to ensure that the burden of obesity in our society is reduced,” said Dr. Hemanth. Kaukuntla, Vice Chairman, Century Hospital.
To prevent the rise of obesity in future generations, governments and development partners must adopt a comprehensive approach with a strong focus on preventive measures. Obesity among children is a major cause for concern as it leads to psychological problems such as anxiety and depression, as well as social problems such as violence and stigma. Therefore, it is important to make efforts to eliminate the root cause of this problem,” Kaukuntla concluded.
Source: IANS
