OBESITY – A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, written by Dr. Pinaki Chakraborty

//Dr. Pinaki Chakraborty//

The world is progressing to a silent pandemic called Obesity; which, the WHO, considers a disease. As the Govt is working much on Non communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, etc, which are now budding from childhood; Obesity is the mother of all these NCDs.

Since 2015, World Obesity Day is observed on 4th March every year to raise awareness about this global crisis & encourage collective action to address it.

Prevalence of Obesity is accelerating and 1 in 5 adults worldwide are expected to have obesity by 2025 while it was only 1 in 8 in 2022. Obesity is a chronic complex disease and results from imbalance between Calorie input and output mediated by Genetics and epigenetics. Body Mass Index more than or equal to 25 is Overweight and 30 is Obesity (WHO) Childhood obesity treks to adulthood; being overweight in childhood and adolescence affects immediate health of the child starting from depression to poor scholastic performance and paves the way for future cardiovascular diseases and Type2 Diabetes. Our children are more vulnerable to inadequate pre- natal, infant and young child nutrition. At the same time, these children are exposed to high-fat, high- sugar, high- salt, energy-dense and micronutrient and iron deficient food. These dietary factors with overuse of screen time and less physical activities resulting in increase of childhood obesity while the other spectrum of Malnutrition is the Undernutrition which still remains mostly unsolved. Overall quality of Life is jeopardised in obese individuals. Obesity needs to be prevented since conception – monitoring pregnancy weight gain, Exclusive breastfeeding upto 6month and micronutrient rich complementary food with breastfeeding upto 24month, healthy dietary habit with more fruits, veggies and water (NOT SUGARY BEVERAGES), reducing the screen time and mandatory school sports with brisk walking/ jogging among adults of any age. High GST in beverages and junk food with statutory warning of Obesity or colour coding of traffic signal type can help common people to understand or convince the avoidable foodstuff.

Its high Time to act at individual, social and Govt policy making otherwise this global pandemic; once thought to be limited to high income group countries only , is rising fast in Low and middle income group countries with bad economic impact and predicted to reach Three trillion dollar per year by 2030.

(Dr. Pinaki Chakraborty is renowned Specialist in Child and Newborn Care)