Obesity Rising Fast in India: A Growing Challenge That Demands Urgent Action

India, once primarily focused on tackling hunger and undernutrition, is now witnessing a sharp increase in obesity across all age groups. A new UNICEF report highlights how the problem has escalated so quickly that it risks becoming one of the country’s biggest public health crises.

A Shift in Malnutrition Trends

For decades, India’s health policies centred around reducing stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies. But today, the balance has shifted. Obesity is rising faster than undernutrition is declining — creating what experts call a “double burden of malnutrition.”

Children under five have seen obesity rates more than double in the past 15 years. Among adolescents, the jump is even more alarming, with cases of overweight boys and girls increasing two- to threefold. Adults too are part of this trend, with obesity in men more than doubling and in women nearly doubling since 2005.

If the pace continues, India could have over 27 million obese children and teenagers by 2030, accounting for one in every ten cases worldwide.

What’s Fueling the Epidemic

Several factors are contributing to this rapid rise:

• Changing diets: Highly processed foods high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats are replacing traditional home-cooked meals.

• Lifestyle changes: Less physical activity, more screen time, and urban lifestyles with fewer opportunities for outdoor play.

• Aggressive marketing: Children and youth are regularly exposed to advertisements for sugary drinks and junk food.

• Socio-cultural gaps: Unequal access to healthy food, poor breastfeeding practices, and gender norms around food distribution within families.

The Consequences

Obesity is far more than a weight issue — it brings a host of long-term risks. These include type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and even some cancers. Economically, the costs are staggering. India already spends billions managing obesity-related conditions, and estimates suggest the figure could reach US$839 billion by 2060, roughly 2.5% of GDP.

What Needs to Change

Experts argue that India must adopt a multi-pronged strategy to stop the surge:

1. Stronger regulations: Limit junk food ads targeting children, introduce front-of-pack nutrition warnings, and consider higher taxes on sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods.

2. Healthier schools: Ensure schools provide balanced meals, promote physical activity, and adopt “Eat Right” certification.

3. Community awareness: Campaigns to promote breastfeeding, balanced diets, and reduced consumption of processed snacks.

4. Urban design for movement: Build safer public spaces for walking, cycling, and sports to make active living a daily habit.

5. Cross-sector policies: Integrate health priorities into agriculture, trade, education, and city planning.

The Road Ahead

India has made progress in reducing hunger and child stunting, but without swift action, obesity could undermine those achievements. UNICEF experts warn that poor diets and sedentary lifestyles are reshaping the health profile of an entire generation.

This is no longer a problem of the future — it’s happening now. Unless addressed through collective action from government, industry, schools, and families, India risks trading one crisis for another.