India Faces Rising Obesity Crisis

• 10 Mar 2025

In March 2025, a Lancet study revealed that India has the second-highest number of overweight and obese adults globally after China.

• The study analysed obesity trends from 1990 to 2021 and projected future trajectories up to 2050.

Key Points

• Global Obesity Growth: By 2050, more than half of all adults and a third of children worldwide will be overweight or obese.
• Rising Obesity Among Young Indians: Among young men (15-24 years), cases grew from 0.4 crore (1990) to 1.68 crore (2021), projected to reach 2.27 crore (2050).
• Among young women, cases increased from 0.33 crore (1990) to 1.3 crore (2021), expected to reach 1.69 crore (2050).
• Projected National Figures: By 2050, 21.8 crore men and 23.1 crore women in India will be overweight or obese, totaling 44.9 crore individuals—nearly one-third of the projected population.
• Childhood Obesity: Cases among boys rose from 0.46 crore (1990) to 1.3 crore (2021), projected at 1.6 crore (2050).
• Among girls, the figures increased from 0.45 crore (1990) to 1.24 crore (2021), estimated to rise to 1.44 crore (2050).
• Health Implications: Obesity contributes to India's growing burden of heart disease, strokes, and diabetes, with early onset cases now seen among adolescents.