A new study has sounded the alarm on India’s escalating health challenge, revealing that nearly one in four Indian adults is now classified as obese or overweight. The research, launched by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change in Delhi on November 25, highlights a worrying trend where obesity-related diseases are surging across both urban and rural populations, pushing the country to a critical juncture. Nationally, 24 per cent of women and 23 per cent of men are now overweight or obese—a figure nearly five times higher than recorded three decades ago.
The paper, titled ‘Building on success to secure India’s future health’, documented stark regional disparities in this mounting crisis. While the national challenge grows, the northeastern state of Meghalaya emerges as a significant outlier, boasting the country’s lowest obesity rates among women at just 12 per cent. Conversely, Delhi faces the highest burden, with a staggering 41 per cent of women classified as obese, according to data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2019-21. Child obesity rates also vary markedly, with 22.8 per cent of children aged 6 to 16 in Delhi being obese, compared to 13.6 per cent in Maharashtra.
This health challenge carries a substantial economic toll. Obesity currently drains an estimated $2.4 billion annually from healthcare budgets and reduces the country’s economic output by roughly $28.9 billion, a figure close to one per cent of India’s GDP. The report contextualised India’s situation within a broader global pattern, noting that worldwide obesity rates have doubled since 1990, now affecting almost one billion people, with a warning that more than half of all adults globally could be overweight or obese by 2050 without intervention. This global trend occurs despite increased healthcare spending over the past two decades, as people are spending fewer of their additional years in good health, pressuring health systems historically designed to treat illness.
The study acknowledged ongoing government efforts, including the Eat Right India and the Fit India Movement, which aim to improve diets and physical activity. Further preventive measures highlighted include a tax on sugary drinks introduced this year and the development of new national obesity guidelines. At a roundtable held in the capital, experts stressed that integrating preventive health must be a core component of India’s growth strategy. Vivek Agarwal, country director at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, stated that India is well-positioned to lead in prevention, adding: “By combining technology, data and community-driven action, India can not only reduce the growing burden of obesity but also build a stronger, more resilient health system for future generations.”
