Almost half of Telangana's urban population obese, similar data in rural AP: ICMR-NIN

Hyderabad: A recent cross-sectional study on obesity by the Indian Council for Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh has highlighted alarming levels of prevalence of obesity in both urban and rural areas.

Published in the esteemed international journal ‘Nutrients’, the study delved into various dimensions of nutritional status and factors associated with malnutrition across different age groups.

The investigation encompassed an urban area in Hyderabad in Telangana, and four villages in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, involving a total of 10,350 individuals. Of these, 8,317 resided in urban areas of Hyderabad, while 2,033 were from rural areas of Andhra Pradesh.

Findings of the study

The findings revealed that among the urban adults in Telangana, 47.7 per cent were obese, and 14.8 per cent were overweight. Similarly, in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh, 46.7 per cent of adults were obese, with 14.8 per cent classified as overweight.

Even in the geriatric age group, the study reported that 50.6 per cent in urban areas and 33.2 per cent in rural areas were obese. Additionally, the study indicated that over 11 per cent of individuals in urban areas and about 6 per cent in rural areas suffered from hypertension, while over 5 per cent in both regions had diabetes.

Notably, adults aged 40 to 59 years and those engaged in clerical/skilled/semi-skilled occupations were identified as having higher odds of obesity compared to their counterparts.

Children were underweight

Dr Samarasimha Reddy, a scientist in the Clinical Epidemiology Division of ICMR-NIN and the lead investigator of the study, stated that the elevated rates of over-nutrition could be attributed to changes in the food, environment, lifestyle, sedentary behaviour and a lack of awareness about healthy eating and physical activity.

“Interestingly, there were no notable rural-urban differences, and females exhibited higher odds of obesity than males,” stated Dr Reddy.

“Paradoxically, in these very communities where nearly 62 per cent of adults are either obese or overweight, the study revealed undernutrition among children, consistent with the national average. It’s evident that underweight and stunting are not as a result of insufficient food in this community,” commented Dr R Hemalatha, director of ICMR-NIN.