Urban India's greatest comforts are the cause of a super-sized health problem: obesity. Easy access to high-calorie packaged foods, sedentary lifestyles and a predilection for gizmos have resulted in almost 70% Indians in mega-cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore or Chennai being overweight or obese, says a new multi-city survey. A survey of Indians-all of whom have access to the internet-showed that 49% were obese or had a body mass index (BMI) of 25. Another 24% had a BMI between 23 and 24.9, which puts them in the overweight category.
The findings showed that more than 50 percent of these indulge in binge eating or midnight snacking¡ªwith women indulging more in binge eating (33 percent) than men (29 percent). Over 30 percent suffer from hypertension and 24 percent have diabetes, while 21.6 percent are already facing cardiac issues.
alayam.com
Bariatric surgeon?Dr?Ramen Goel said these figures are in keeping with his study, which he had conducted in Mumbai eight years ago.?"We had interviewed and tested people working in corporate as well as public sector units in Mumbai and found that 60% were either overweight or obese.?At that time, people felt our results were exaggerated, but now we are vindicated,'' he said.?
The obesity march holds true for Delhi as well. Dr Anoop Misra from Fortis Hospital in Delhi said his soon-to-be-published study showed that 40-70% of the capital's denizens were either overweight or obese.? Consecutive National Family Health Surveys conducted between 2000 and 2006 pegged obesity in India between 8% and 15% of the general population.
The survey shows that north Indian cities of Delhi and Chandigarh are the obesity capitals with 53% of those surveyed being obese. A breakup shows that every second woman is obese and the worst-affected age group the 24-39 bracket. "When one takes into consideration underdeveloped states or the smaller cities and towns, the overweight figure seems lower,'' said Dr Misra, adding that the new survey obviously looked at a section that is urban, affluent, wired and low on physical exercise.?
indianexpress.com
"Now, Indians with a BMI of over 23 are considered obese,'' said Dr Goel, adding that the new scale would put many more people in the overweight category. "The new survey suggests that we are now on a par with other developed nations if we compare the percentage of the population that is obese, at least as far as urban and affluent sections of our society are concerned,'' he added.
The survey, conducted by oil and fortified foods company Saffola, attributed this swell to the fact that urban Indians eat unhealthy food. In fact, 53% of those surveyed ate one or less serving of vegetables or salads in a day. The worst vegetable/salad eaters were in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Coimbatore and Hyderabad, said the survey.
On the eve of World Anti-Obesity Day, doctors, however, wanted to underline a subtle difference. "The problem is not about being overweight; it is about controlling obesity-related diseases,'' said one doctor. Dr Goel said, "We could have people with 25 or even 28 BMI who are extremely fit and healthy.'' The problem, he said, begins when their obesity starts telling on their blood pressure or sugar levels.
picsunday.com
Obesity-related problems such as hypertension and diabetes in Delhi and Jaipur rose sharply in the 25-35 age group. The Saffola survey also shows that the 30-39 age group has higher lipid readings and higher BMIs. Mumbai-based nutritionist Shilpa Joshi expresses her concern for children's health.
¡°Nowadays, children sit in front of computers or televisions and have easy access to packaged food, which is high on calories and sugar,'' she said. This is in stark contrast to the scene a few decades ago. "When we were younger, there were no packaged foods. We ate home-cooked food that had a low glycemic index. Such foods release calories slowly and not instantly like an aerated drink or packaged chips,'' she said.
Eat small meals and chew slowly to keep your blood sugar levels stable and your hunger at bay.?This will also help prevent you from bingeing on packaged food.?
rbscan.com
A majority of the forms of alcohol contain a high percentage of fat.?The fat content further shoots up due to the inclusion of sweetened aerated drinks and the greasy or fried foods that usually accompanies it.?
harvard.edu
You don¡¯t necessarily need an expensive gym membership or fancy equipment?to become healthy.?All?your?need a 30-minute brisk walk?that can act as a cardiovascular exercise to get you into a physically active space.?
mausehat.com
Avoid medically unsupervised Quick-fix weight-loss methods, as they not only can they have serious side-effects, but can also have a yo-yo effect, which causes a regain of excess weight. This includes fad diets, weight loss powders?and?pills, etc.
athleticlab.com
If you are overweight, don¡¯t ostracise yourself because of societal pressure as this can cause depression.?Depression can often cause further weight gain.?
verywell.com
Don¡¯t shy from bariatric surgery if diet, exercises?and?other technique prove ineffective; it¡¯s the only medically proven technique?that helps in sustained weight-loss. It¡¯s not a cosmetic option like liposuction or the tummy tuck.?
svkslimming.com
Whether you are obese or overweight, don¡¯t get discouraged by these alarming numbers. It just shows that you are not alone and that?there are effective solutions out there to tackle this epidemic¡ªfrom lifestyle hacks,?surgery, diet?and?exercise.?