India ranks 2nd globally for overweight, obese children, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• India ranks 2nd globally after China in the number of overweight and obese children.
• In India, 14.9 million children (5-9 age group) and 26 million children (10-19 age group) were overweight or obese in 2025.
• By 2040, projections estimate 20 million children in India will be living with obesity, and 56 million will be overweight.
• India has the fastest-rising rate globally, with an average annual increase of almost 5% in overweight and obese children.
• Over 57 million children in India are expected to show early signs of cardiovascular diseases by 2040.

Detailed Insights:

• The World Obesity Atlas 2026 indicates a global increase of 14.6% in overweight or obese children (5-19 age group) since 2010.
• By 2040, a significant number of children aged 5-19 years are projected to develop risk factors like hypertension (increasing from 2.99 million to 4.21 million), hyperglycaemia (1.39 million to 1.91 million) and high triglycerides (4.39 million to 6.07 million).
• India leads the WHO South-East Asia Region with over 45 million young people (0-19 years) overweight or living with obesity.
• Factors contributing to this rise include inadequate physical activity (74% of those aged 11-17 years), sub-optimal breastfeeding (32.6% of infants up to five months), and unhealthy diets.
• Recommended actions include stronger prevention policies, healthier school food environments, protection from marketing unhealthy foods, and fiscal measures like taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Obesity: A condition characterized by excessive body fat accumulation that may impair health.
• Hypertension: Abnormally high blood pressure.
• Hyperglycaemia: An excess of glucose in the bloodstream.
• Triglycerides: A type of fat found in the blood.