New Delhi, June 3 -- The latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6), released last week, revealed a sharp rise in obesity among adult Indians. Public health organizations and experts have flagged excessive weight gain as a concern, with India already having the second-largest obese population after China.

Obesity is linked to a higher risk of diabetes and cardiac disease. Mint unpacks the reasons for the rise in obesity, its impact on the country and how they are being addressed.

What does the survey say?

The NFHS-6 conducted in FY24 by the health ministry shows that 30.7% of women were overweight or obese that year, up from 24% in 2019-21 and 27.3% of men were obese, an increase from 22.9% in 2019-21. Obesity was measured as per Bo...