Economic Survey Flags Obesity as a Major Threat to India's Health

Tags:

The Economic Survey 2023-24 [PDF], tabled on July 22, 2024 in Parliament, had raised concerns over two critical aspects of health: the rise in obesity and mental health crisis.

Highlights:

  • 56.4 per cent of the total disease burden in India is due to unhealthy diets.
  • Obesity is emerging as a serious concern among India’s adult population. 
  • Rise in children is the steepest in the world for India, behind Vietnam and Namibia.
  • The incidence of obesity is significantly higher in urban India than in rural India.
  • Over 100 million people in the country may have diabetes, one of the most common non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
  • The prevalence of NCDs in India has tripled since 1995.
  • Nutrition literacy must be promoted in schools, primary health care settings and through mass media. 

Percentage of adults facing obesity by gender and State

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Crunching the Data: Analyzing India's Breakfast Cereals 🥣🥛

Image
I analyzed 55 products (with known nutrition facts as of April 24, 2024) in the Breakfast Cereals category of the India database of Open Food Facts - the 'Wikipedia of food'. The data, which has been obtained from Open Food Facts and subsequently cleaned, is available on GitHub in CSV format . You can also view that curated dataset with the Flat Viewer tool .  Here are my findings and fun facts I discovered - * Flattened rice flakes, commonly known as "poha" or "beaten rice," have long been a popular breakfast item in many regions of India. Traditionally sold loosely in retail stores, these rice flakes have recently made their way into branded breakfast cereal offerings, such as those by Tata Sampann. Poha is appreciated for its nutritional value, versatility, and ease of preparation, making it a staple in Indian households and an increasingly popular choice in the global breakfast cereal market. * Flattened rice flakes are produced by parboiling, rolling,
Read more

Dietary Guidelines for Indians - 2024 Revision

Image
The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), part of the Indian Council of Medical Research, has released revised Dietary Guidelines for Indians.  The last such report was issued in 2011. Links - PDF  (May 2024, 148 pages), online copy These 17 guidelines offer science-based recommendations for healthy living across all age groups - Eat a variety of foods to ensure a balanced diet Ensure provision of extra food and healthcare during pregnancy and lactation Ensure exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continue breastfeeding till two years and beyond Start feeding homemade semi-solid complementary foods to the infant soon after six months of age Ensure adequate and appropriate diets for children and adolescents both in health and sickness Eat plenty of vegetables and legumes Use oils/fats in moderation; choose a variety of oil seeds, nuts, nutricereals and legumes to meet daily needs of fats and essential fatty acids (EFA) Obtain good quality proteins and essential amino aci
Read more

Uncovering the Best Nuts and Seeds for Protein 💪🌻

Image
I analyzed 53 products (with known nutrition facts as of August 26, 2024) in the Nuts & Seeds category of the India database on Open Food Facts, often referred to as the 'Wikipedia of food.' The data, sourced from Open Food Facts and subsequently cleaned, is available on GitHub in CSV format . You can also explore the curated dataset using the Flat Viewer tool . View, Sort, Filter the data in Flat Viewer In a market dominated by ultra-processed foods (UPFs), protein-rich nuts and seeds offer a healthier snacking alternative. Here are some of my findings - * Nuts & seeds fall under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) category 04 – Fruits and vegetables (including mushrooms and fungi, roots and tubers, fresh pulses and legumes, and aloe vera), seaweeds, and nuts and seeds, with the sub-category 04.1.2.2. It includes: Almond kernels Cashew kernels Pistachio nuts Peanuts/Groundnuts Walnut kernels Sunflower seeds * Chia Seeds are categorized under 6.1,
Read more