Prevalence of generalized and abdominal obesity: India’s big problem

Abstract

Background: The rising prevalence overweight and obesity in India has a direct correlation with the increasing prevalence of obesity-related co-morbidities; hypertension, the metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease. The risk for these disorders appears to start from a body mass index (BMI) of about 21 kg/m2. The objective of the study was to know the prevalence of generalized and abdominal obesity in the field practice area.Methods: A community based cross-sectional study conducted among 309 people in the rural field practice area of medical college from January to March, 2017.Results: In the present study prevalence of generalized, abdominal and combined obesity was 56%, 71.2% and 51.3% respectively.Conclusions: Prevention of obesity should begin in early childhood. Obesity is harder to treat in adults than it is in children. The control of obesity centers on the weight reduction. Information Education and Communication (IEC), Behaviour change communication (BCC) is used to encourage individuals of the society to adopt healthy behaviours like dietary modifications, increased physical activity and a combination of both.