Cut the flab: Why obesity needs to be taken much more seriously

Cut the flab: Why obesity needs to be taken much more seriously

Experts Say It Could Lead To Health Crisis If Urgent Steps Not Taken

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

30.11.2020

New Delhi: Obesity is the mother of all non-communicable diseases, be it diabetes, hypertension or heart ailments. The lifestyle disorder has also been linked to many types of cancer.

Still, public health experts say, obesity is not taken as seriously as it should be, which is resulting in a continuous growth in the number of people suffering from the condition.

To spread awareness on the issue and get people to act on it, The Times of India has launched ‘Act Against Obesity’ in association with Johnson and Johnson Pvt Ltd.

According to Dr Ambrish Mithal, chairman and head of endocrinology at Max Healthcare, simple things like following a diet plan and regular exercise can help prevent a person from developing obesity.

“However, we see that people wait until they develop the condition to take the problem seriously. If they act in time to prevent the disease, it can help reduce the complications caused due to obesity and a host of other illnesses associated with it,” Dr Mithal said.

Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese.

A recent study published in the journal, Plos One, stated the prevalence of overweight and obesity in India was increasing faster than the world average.

For instance, the study said, the prevalence of overweight increased from 8.4% to 15.5% among women between 1998 and 2015, and that of obesity increased from 2.2% to 5.1% over the same period. “This fast-paced growth has been accompanied by notable increases in the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs),” it added.

The Plos One study predicts that the prevalence of overweight will increase approximately double among Indian adults aged 20–69 years between 2010 and 2040, whilst the prevalence of obesity is expected to increase approximately threefold over the same period.

Public health specialists say if urgent measures are not taken at individual as well as national level, obesity could lead to a health crisis.

Even in the case of the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors say, it has been observed that while the viral infection can infect anyone, people who are obese are at a higher risk to develop severe symptoms.

This is because, first, the abdominal fat in obese patients pushes the diaphragm up and reduces the lung volumes and adversely alters the mechanics of lung ventilation. Secondly, as Dr Himika Chawla, senior consultant, endocrinology and diabetology at PSRI Hospital says, obesity is associated with multiple comorbidities like diabetes and chronic heart disease.

Thirdly, obesity results in a state of chronic inflammation in the body along with impaired immunity. So, the immune cells are both reduced in number and become less effective, Dr Chawla added.

“However, even though we increasingly realise that the sickest Covid-19 patients are frequently obese, the burden of obesity is continuously increasing in the current pandemic situation. This could be due to reduced outdoor activities and lesser access to weight-loss programmes,” the PSRI doctor said.

To prevent weight gain, experts advise eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and cereal products and at least an hour of exercise daily.

Scan this QR code or log on to actagainstobesity.com to take the weighthealth test to see if you are at risk and speak to an expert accordingly