{"id":44284,"date":"2025-05-28T19:39:04","date_gmt":"2025-05-28T14:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=44284"},"modified":"2025-05-28T19:42:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T14:12:11","slug":"rising-overnutrition-india-new-urban-worry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/28-05-2025\/rising-overnutrition-india-new-urban-worry","title":{"rendered":"Rising Overnutrition: India\u2019s New Urban Worry\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Syllabus: GS2\/ Health<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • India is witnessing a paradoxical nutrition crisis<\/strong>, with undernutrition persisting in rural regions <\/strong>even as overnutrition sharply rises in urban centres.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • This dual burden means the country simultaneously battles problems of hunger and micronutrient deficiency<\/strong> alongside obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Dual Burden: Urban Overnutrition vs Rural Undernutrition<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    • Undernutrition remains a serious issue, especially in rural India. Over one-third of Indian children under five<\/strong> are stunted (low height-for-age) due to chronic undernourishment and child malnutrition indicators are consistently worse in rural areas than in urban areas.\n
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      • For instance<\/strong>, states like Bihar and Meghalaya report rural stunting rates exceeding 40%, significantly higher than their urban counterparts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • On the other hand, rates of overweight and obesity have surged<\/strong>, particularly in cities. The prevalence of overweight or obesity among adults doubled between 2005 and 2022,  rising from 13% to 24% in women and 9% to 22.9% in men.\n
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        • Nearly 43% of urban women and 46% of urban men<\/strong> are now overweight or obese, compared to about 32% of rural women and 35% of rural men: (STEPS Survey, 2023\u201324)<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • India\u2019s paradox is also evident globally, the country ranked second worldwide in the number of overweight\/obese individuals<\/strong> as of 2021, even as it struggles with high levels of hunger (as highlighted by its persistent challenges on the Global Hunger Index).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Factors Driving Overnutrition in Urban India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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          • Sedentary Lifestyles and Work Culture: <\/strong>Modern urban work is largely desk-bound. For example, a study among young IT professionals in Hyderabad found 71% were obese and 84% had fatty liver disease, underscoring the metabolic risks of sedentary jobs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Chronic Stress and Sleep Disruption:<\/strong> City life and high-pressure jobs contribute to chronic stress and irregular sleep patterns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Dietary Shift to Processed Foods:<\/strong> Urban diets have shifted toward inexpensive, energy-dense processed foods. There is greater consumption of packaged snacks, fast foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages that are high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Social and Behavioral Factors:<\/strong> Increasing incomes and changing aspirations have made overeating and rich diets more common. In cities, food is part of socializing and convenience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Emerging “Nightlife Culture”:<\/strong> As urban economies expand, so does a nightlife culture, often associated with late-night eating and consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Biological and Genetic Factors:<\/strong> South Asians are more prone to abdominal obesity and diabetes at lower BMIs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Factors Driving Undernutrition in Rural India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n