Obesity and obesity-related diseases have become a pandemic already. India, too, is following the trends of other developing nations that are steadily becoming more obese day by day. In the 21st century, obesity in India has reached epidemic proportions with morbid obesity affecting 5% of the country’s population. The annual cost of treating obesity-related issues like heart diseases, diabetes, liver disorders, depression and cancer will reach a shocking $13 billion in India by 2025, according to the new survey estimates.
The global annual cost of treating the same will reach $1.2 trillion per year by 2025, which is an alarming state and requires immediate resolute actions. The data from World Obesity Federations released on Tuesday. In India, the annual cost of treating these consequences is estimated to reach $13 billion or cumulative costs of $90 billion between now and 2025.
The percentage of Indian adults living with obesity is set to jump to around 10 per cent (3.1 per cent male and 6.9 per cent female) by 2025 from 7.5 per cent (2.3 per cent male and 5.2 per cent female) in 2014, the new analysis, ahead of World Obesity Day on Wednesday, revealed.
The data demonstrated how investing in the prevention, early intervention and treatment of obesity is a cost-effective action for governments and health services.
"Obesity is now a worldwide epidemic which absorbs a vast amount of our healthcare resources. The annual medical costs of treating the consequences of obesity such as diabetes and heart disease is truly alarming," said Ian Caterson, President of World Obesity Federation.
"With an estimated 177 million adults suffering severe obesity by 2025, it is clear that governments need to act now to reduce this burden on their national economies," Caterson added.
Investment can also help to achieve the 2025 targets set by the World Health Organisation to cease the increasing obesity and achieve a 25% relative reduction in mortality from non-communicable diseases.
(With IANS Inputs)
