Obesity on rise in school children

Around 15-21 per cent of school children in India are obese and the number is rising with high intake of junk food and a sedentary lifestyle, says a study. The study by Fortis Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology, Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj found that school children are increasingly getting afflicted with diabetes, a life-style disorder that is not restricted to the adult population anymore. Anoop Misra, the centre's chairman, said that nearly 9 percent of adolescents (between nine and 18 years) have abdominal obesity, which is directly linked to insulin resistance and diabetes. The study found that around 70 percent of obese children are likely to be obese adults with increased susceptibility to diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. "This implies that the diabetes epidemic India is facing right now is only going to magnify and life expectancy is likely to fall in the next 20 years," he said. Misra said high intake of junk food and sedentary life-style patterns are the major contributors in making the young generation susceptible to Type 2 diabetes. Around 68 per cent of urban children lead a sedentary lifestyle with hardly any outdoor physical activity. Urban children are habitual of eating food items rich in fat and sugar content, and somewhat swaying away from the traditional low-fat and healthy food items that are rich in fibre and micro-nutrients, adds Misra.