Obesity: Mother of Many Diseases

New Delhi, October 10, 2018:

“Due to fast changing/sedentary life style and increasing affordability caloric consumption of present generation has increased by many fold while the calorie burning capacity has decreased tremendously. Many of the present day children and youngsters, especially in cities, do not know what it is to be hungry! They are fed repeatedly during the day and eating out has become a status symbol. The food industry is so strong that no one can object with the havoc they are playing with the health of the public. The fast food centres, carbonated drinks and restaurants have replaced the home cooked food and healthy beverages.

India has the world’s highest childhood obesity. As per WHO report India has the World’s 3rd largest obese population after USA and China. India has the dubious distinction of being the “Diabetic Capital of the World” and Type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity. In our culture Obesity or weight gain is not seen as a health issue and many families consider obesity as assign of prosperity!

In 2013 American Medical Association declared Obesity as a disease and since then the awareness in America about the ill effects of obesity has increased and has given strength to health workers to fight against obesity with more strength.

Obesity is our enemy and it  brings along with it  more than 30  deadly diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension, Liver diseases, cancers, infertility, Joints pains, sleep apnoea, heart diseases etc. apart from the social & psychological havoc it can create. It has tremendous impact on economic burden of the country and individual families. The multiple diseases associated with the obesity will make a person to visit different specialists periodically, undergo various test, procedures like angiogram and may need frequent hospitalisation.

It is time that we eat with caution and burn our calories daily by regular work out and a healthy life style”.

Author of this article:

“Dr. Shivaram – Chief Surgeon and Sr. Consultant – GI & Bariatric Surgery, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore”