Publications

Abstract: 

 There were nearly 18 million CVD-related deaths in 2019 alone. The most common contributors to CVD are diabetes, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, obesity, smoking, sedentary lifestyle and stress. Obesity is broadly of two types: Generalised Obesity and Abdominal Obesity. Generalised obesity is measured by Body Mass Index (BMI). The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies adult overweight and obesity as BMI of 25-29.9 kg/m2 and ≥30 kg/m2 respectively, with suggested BMI cutoffs for South Asian populations being 23-24.9 kg/m2 and ≥ 25 kg/m2 respectively. Abdominal obesity is also called central obesity and is measured by waist circumference. Measurements ≥90 cm among Asian men and ≥80 cm among Asian women are considered as abdominal obesity. Abdominal obesity indicates the presence of visceral fat, which has an even stronger link to CVD than generalised obesity. The WHO has reported that globally in 2016, 39% and 13% of adults were overweight and obese, respectively; therefore, half of all adults across the globe were either overweight or obese. The nationwide National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) in India, revealed that around 40% of adults surveyed were either overweight or obese. The ICMR-INDIAB study found the prevalence of abdominal obesity among adults to be 16.9 to 36.1% across four states in India, with higher prevalence in urban areas. While India has the largest number of under-nourished children in the world, 15% of our children are overweight or obese, indicating a double burden of malnutrition in our country.