NSO flags obesity among women in hill areas of HP, Uttarakhand, J&K
There is a general perception that due to the hard work done in the hilly areas, the residents weigh less than the people in the plains, but the scenario has changed in the last few years.
Published: 25th March 2023 10:43 AM | Last Updated: 25th March 2023 10:43 AM | A+A A-
Image used for illustrative purposes only. (Express Illustrations)
DEHRADUN: Women are becoming obese in hilly areas of Himachal, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. In Himachal, more women are obese than in Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. This has been revealed in the Women and Men India report of the National Statistical Office (NSO).
According to the data released by NSO, “Obesity is increasing in both men and women in Uttarakhand. In 2015-16, 17.7 per cent of men in Uttarakhand were obese, which increased to 27.1 per cent in 2019-21. In the state, 20.4 per cent of women were obese in 2015-16, while 29.8 per cent of women are obese in 2019-21.”
There is a general perception that due to the hard work done in the hilly areas, the residents weigh less than the people in the plains, but the scenario has changed in the last few years. The recently released
report also revealed that women in the northeastern states are more tobacco lovers than in Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal. The report shows that the disease of obesity is increasing in people year after year.
The report gives data about obesity and tobacco consumption among women compared to men. These data have been collected from the National Family Health Survey of 2015-16 and 2019-20. As per the data, men and women in Uttarakhand are more obese than in Uttar Pradesh. According to the report, in the National Family Health Survey-4 conducted in 2015-16, 12.5 per cent of men and 16.5 per cent of women in UP were obese. In Uttarakhand, 17.7 per cent of men and 20.4 per cent of women were obese during this period. In the survey of 2019-20, obesity was found in 18.5 per cent of men and 21.4 per cent of women in UP. Obesity among Uttarakhandis gained momentum during the same period, rising to 27.1 per cent of men and 29.8 per cent of women.
In the Himalayan states, women in the northeastern states are more addicted to tobacco consumption. The report shows that 4.6 per cent of women in the northeast use tobacco as compared to 33.7 per cent of men in Uttarakhand. 1.7 per cent of women consume tobacco as compared to 32.3 per cent of men in Himachal and 1.7 per cent of women as compared to 38.3 per cent of men in Jammu and Kashmir.
Physiotherapist Dr Priya Ahuja told this newspaper that obesity is not really a disease. It is possible to solve this with regular exercise and yoga. Sadly, obesity has gripped the new generation due to dietary and lifestyle changes, she said.
