Preventing the next health crisis

Preventing the next health crisis

News:

1. K Srinath Reddy, President of Public Health Foundation of India expresses his views to tackle obesity in India.

Important facts:

2. After wasting (a low weight-for-height ratio), India’s biggest nutrition challenge is obesity (excess body fat).
3. India has the second highest number of obese children in the world (14.4 million).
4. Consumption of junk food and less physical activity are the main reasons of obesity.
5. Adverse affects of obesity:
   • High risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and some cancers,
   • Fatty liver disease in children and
   • Premature mortality.
6. Measures to be taken:
   • Ensure appropriate nutrition (the right balance of nutrients)for obesity along with adequate nutrition (usually interpreted as dietary calories) for undernutrition,
   • Policies on agricultural system that promotes crop diversity,
   • Decrease the availability, affordability and promotion of unhealthy foods,
   • Make healthy foods more accessible,
   • Provision of obesity management, prevention and treatment,
   • Tax on sugar and its related commodities.
   • Cycle of poverty leading to NCDs (Non Communicable Diseases) and visa versa should be addressed,
   • Obesity and under nutrition should be jointly addressed under universal health coverage, and
   • Universal health coverage should be financially accessible by all.