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NEW DELHI — Obesity in India is a significant public health concern, as it is associated with an increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which account for 5.87 million deaths annually in the country. This silent epidemic, often overshadowed by other health issues like cancer, diabetes, and arthritis, poses a serious threat to the nation's economy, work productivity, and the general physical and mental well-being of the population. Recognising the urgency of addressing this issue, HexaHealth has initiated a comprehensive two-month survey to understand the multifaceted dimensions of obesity in India.
The HexaHealth Obesity Report has found Bengaluru obese youngsters develop obesity-related comorbidities early on and have the highest rate of comorbidities among the under-20 metro youth population. Of the study done on 1,000 obese youngsters in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi, 15 percent of under-20 Bengaluru youngsters had developed more than one comorbidity. By the age of 26-35 years, comorbidities in Delhi and Mumbai youngsters jumped up drastically with 36 percent and 41 percent developing comorbidities respectively.
The HexaHealth study showed a significant rise in chronic joint pains and hypertension starting from 26 onwards. The number of comorbidities increased four times between ages 26 and 35 years. The same saw a 50 percent increase in a number of comorbidities after entering the 36 to 45 years age bracket.
Speaking on the survey, Ankur Gigras, CEO and Co-founder of HexaHealth, said, “In a comprehensive two-month survey, HexaHealth delved into the pressing issue of obesity in India. The findings revealed a high occurrence as well as awareness of obesity in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru, to levels that surpassed our initial expectations. A particularly concerning revelation was the occurrence of comorbidities in youth under 20 years of age. Maybe the pandemic lockdown had an impact but it’s alarming to see a good number of them developing comorbidities when they’re supposed to have better metabolism.”
“Notably, our survey outcomes align closely with existing scientific research and data on obesity, emphasising the urgency of addressing obesity-related health concerns at all levels – medical and social. Our findings underscore the need for concerted efforts and awareness campaigns to combat the complex interplay of obesity and comorbidities in these cities,” added Gigras.
The HexaHealth initiative to address the growing concern of obesity in India, HexaHealth, a Gurugram-based Healthtech platform, conducted a comprehensive analysis of data from 1000 individuals residing in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore. The survey focused on individuals aged between 18 to 55 years with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher, all of whom were classified as obese.
The key findings of the Obesity Survey are as follows:
Comorbidity Prevalence
Joints and orthopaedic issues are more prevalent among obese individuals compared to other health complications21 percent experience joint and orthopaedic comorbiditiesAmong obese men and women, the occurrence of joint and orthopaedic cases increases to 26 percent by the age of 3613 percent of users aged 18-25 already report at least one comorbidity, emphasising the early onset of chronic health issuesMumbai users aged 46-55 reported the lowest prevalence of three or more comorbidities (5 percent) compared to NCR (5 percent) and Bangalore (7.5 percent)
Awareness Towards Medical Treatments
Mumbai users exhibit a lower willingness to seek medical treatments (15.97 percent) compared to NCR (19.71 percent) and Bangalore (19.34 percent) residentsNCR exhibits a notably high willingness to pursue weight loss medical treatment, particularly among the younger age brackets (6 percent in 18-25 Yrs, 20 percent in 26-35 Yrs)Mumbai users, especially in the age bracket of 46-55 Yrs, show a higher level of ignorance (36.59 percent) towards medical treatments for weight loss compared to Bangalore (19.12 percent) and NCR (23.19 percent)
Fitness Efforts and Dieting
Mumbai has the highest percentage (43.70 percent) of individuals actively participating in fitness activities, followed by Delhi NCR (36.76%) and Bangalore (32.79 percent)Dieting was actively pursued by Mumbai users (42.58 percent), while Bangalore users showed the least response (37.05 percent)Mumbai users stand out as they actively follow at least one method to control obesity (40 percent), surpassing NCR (30 percent) and Bangalore (35 percent)
Impact of Work from Home (WFH) on Obesity
70 percent of users in Bangalore reported at least 6 hours of daily sitting, compared to 63 percent in Delhi and 60 percent in Mumbai
Use of Fitness Gadgets
Fitness gadget adoption is highest in Bangalore (43 percent), and lowest in NCR (36 percent)
Users on medication
Mumbai shows balanced medication usage (53.22 percent on medication), Delhi NCR leans slightly towards medication (51.47 percent), and Bengaluru reveals a higher reliance on obese medication (56.07 percent)