India’s Obesity Epidemic: A Growing Public Health Challenge

According to UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Report 2025, obesity has overtaken underweight globally as the most common form of malnutrition among school-aged children and adolescents. Experts caution that unless urgent action is taken, India risks reversing years of progress in child health and nutrition.

• India, too, is facing a silent but urgent health crisis — a rapid rise in overweight and obesity across children, adolescents, and adults. Once considered a “disease of affluence,” obesity is now spreading across all socio-economic groups, driven by changing diets, lifestyle patterns, and aggressive food marketing.

Key Highlights

• Sharp Increase in Childhood Obesity: NFHS data shows ....