Surprisingly enough according to the latest data released by National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4), Chandigarh tops the list of obesity in women (in the age group of 15-49) in the nation with 42% of them obese. Also, women here figured second in the anaemic list with 76% affected with it.
The Society for Promotion for Youth and Masses (SPYM) conducted the fieldwork for NFHS-4 in Chandigarh from May 14 to June 24, 2016. The survey also found that 32 percent men are overweight or obese.
Overweight and obesity are defined as excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. As per NFHS-4 definition, adults with Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to 25 are considered as obese or overweight. The BMI is defined as the body mass divided by the square of the body height, and is universally expressed in units of kg/m2, resulting from mass in kilograms and height in metres.
“Studies from Chandigarh have shown that obesity is the major problem in the city. Most women are physically inactive and there is a shift from traditional food to junk food. They should start eating healthy and should make physical exercise, a part of their routine,” said JS Thakur, from School of Public Health, at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research.
“All lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer are directly associated with obesity. Breast cancer rate in Chandigarh is also highest in the country and it has direct association with obesity,” he added.
About National Family Health Survey (NFHS)
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is a large-scale, multi-round survey conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India. The NFHS is a collaborative project of the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, India; ORC Macro, Calverton, Maryland, USA and the East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, designated IIPS as the nodal agency, responsible for providing coordination and technical guidance for the NFHS.
NFHS was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with supplementary support from United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). IIPS collaborated with a number of Field Organisations (FO) for survey implementation. Each FO was responsible for conducting survey activities in one or more states covered by the NFHS.
This is definitely a sorry state of lifestyle habits that has been unraveled by the survey.
Guys! We need to balance our diet. Of course giving up our favorite burger, truffle, cheesy pizza will be hard, atlest have them in moderation. It’s high time you need to take care of our health.
Image Credits: Google Images
Coverage: Hindustan Times
