World Anti Obesity Day

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Last Updated26/11/2021

Anti-Obesity Day (AOD) is observed in various parts of the world on November 26.
In 2001, the Indian Wellness brand VLCC founded by Mrs. Vandana Luthra, took the first step towards creating awareness about Obesity and its ill-effects through the creation of an anti-obesity initiative to address the global pandemic.
Obesity in India has reached epidemic proportions in the 21st century, with morbid obesity affecting 5% of the country's population.

It is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity isn't just a cosmetic concern.
It's a medical problem that increases the risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers.
There are many reasons why some people have difficulty losing weight.
Usually, obesity results from inherited, physiological and environmental factors, combined with diet, physical activity and exercise choices.

Body mass index (BMI) is often used to diagnose obesity. To calculate BMI, multiply weight in pounds by 703, divide by height in inches and then divide again by height in inches. Or divide weight in kilograms by height in meters squared.
Asians with BMI of 23 or higher may have an increased risk of health problems.
For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. However, BMI doesn't directly measure body fat, so some people, such as muscular athletes, may have a BMI in the obesity category even though they don't have excess body fat.

Changed dietary habits : inclination towards junk and fast foods, beverage etc.
Hectic life style, no fix timing for lunch and dinner, skipping breakfast sometimes leads to hidden hunger
Flooding of processed food, low food standards (maggie controversy), use of pesticides and chemical preservatives also create problem
Environmental impact : increasing pollution, infusion of carcinogenic elements leading to many diseases that may lead to obesity

Unhealthy diet. A diet that's high in calories, lacking in fruits and vegetables, full of fast food, and laden with high-calorie beverages and oversized portions contributes to weight gain.
Liquid calories. People can drink many calories without feeling full, especially calories from alcohol. Other high-calorie beverages, such as sugared soft drinks, can contribute to significant weight gain.
Inactivity. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, you can easily take in more calories every day than you burn through exercise and routine daily activities. Looking at computer, tablet and phone screens is a sedentary activity. The number of hours spent in front of a screen is highly associated with weight gain.

People with obesity are more likely to develop a number of potentially serious health problems, including:

Heart disease and strokes: Obesity makes you more likely to have high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels, which are risk factors for heart disease and strokes.
Type 2 diabetes. Obesity can affect the way the body uses insulin to control blood sugar levels. This raises the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes.
Certain cancers. Obesity may increase the risk of cancer of the uterus, cervix, endometrium, ovary, breast, colon, rectum, esophagus, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney and prostate.
Digestive problems. Obesity increases the likelihood of developing heartburn, gallbladder disease and liver problems.
Sleep apnea. People with obesity are more likely to have sleep apnea, a potentially serious disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.
Osteoarthritis. Obesity increases the stress placed on weight-bearing joints, in addition to promoting inflammation within the body. These factors may lead to complications such as osteoarthritis.

Guidelines for Junk foods
Introduction of PT period in schools
Mandatory minimum grounds size and other sports infrastructure (Strict implementation of RTE act norms).
Construction of parks and leave open spaces in colonies ( urban planning) so that children do not remain busy with indoor activity like video games, computer games.
Motivate parents to play along with their child.
Organisation of sport competitions at local level by municipalities, societies etc.

Global Nutrition Report 2016 ranks India at 11th position in under 5 obesity and 21st position in adult obesity and overweight category.
India has the second highest number of obese children in the world after China, according to an study which found that 14.4 million kids in the country have excess weight.
The prevalence of obesity has doubled since 1980 in more than 70 countries and has increased in most other nations.

34% of India’s population is insufficiently active.
Globally, more than 1.4 billion adults are at risk of diseases from not doing enough physical activity as around one in three women (32%) and one in four men (23%) do not do enough physical activity to stay healthy.

University Grants Commission (UGC) issued circular directing all varsities and higher education institutions to ban sale of junk food on their campuses.
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) which had directed all affiliated schools to take junk food off their canteen menu. Moreover, schools were also asked to inspect lunch boxes of students, create awareness about nutritious food and regularly monitor students’ health.