Why obesity is rising among schoolchildren in Delhi- The Week

A new study by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has raised concerns over a growing public health crisis among schoolchildren in Delhi. As per the report, the national capital is witnessing rising rates of obesity and related health issues among children and recommended urgent intervention.

The study, which surveyed nearly 4,000 students aged 6 to 19 across government and private schools in the capital, found that 13.4% of children were obese and 7.4% suffered from hypertension. 

The findings point to a troubling trend that disproportionately affects children from wealthier backgrounds. For instance, 24% of private school students were classified as obese compared to just 4.5% of those in government schools.

Students in private schools were also more likely to have elevated blood sugar levels and showed a three times higher likelihood of metabolic syndrome—an indicator of increased risk for chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and psychological stress.

These findings align with data from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (2016–18), which showed that 15.3% of school-age children and 16.18% of adolescents in India are pre-diabetic. Experts say the situation is worsening due to a combination of factors including rapid urbanisation, sedentary lifestyles, and increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods.

The 2024 Global Burden of Disease Study by The Lancet also revealed a sharp rise in the number of poor children in India, from 0.4 million in 1990 to 12.5 million in 2022. This dual burden of malnutrition and obesity among Indian children presents a complex public health challenge.

AIIMS researchers have called for urgent policy responses to address student health holistically. They recommend mandatory physical education, tighter regulation of junk food in schools, and widespread public awareness campaigns. 

Recently the CBSE gave a directive to restrict sugar-based products in affiliated schools. “Student health must be treated with the same urgency as anti-tobacco efforts of the past,” the AIIMS report notes. 

The worrying trend of rising Type 2 diabetes in children

India also sees an unusual and worrying trend of Type 2 diabetes in children. The rise in such cases is being attributed to lifestyle- and diet-induced obesity. Doctors across India’s major cities agree that there has been a rise in Type 2 diabetes among children under 18. 

“Recent statistics tell us that India houses the second largest number of youth below 20 years with type 2 diabetes,” says Dr Akansha Parikh, an endocrinologist with Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. 

“The most common age is when they are peripubertal, that is 10 years and above, and from 15 to 19 years because puberty itself is a physiological state of insulin resistance. So, during puberty, they are at a higher risk of glucose intolerance. At the time of diagnosis, the HbA1c of some children can be as high as 12 to 16. Anything more than 6.5 is considered to be in the diabetic range. The fasting blood sugar in these children can go over 200, ” she explains.

Experts are calling on parents, educators, and policymakers to collaborate to take action that will help future generations live healthily.

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