Modi’s anti-obesity campaign: Why PM wants Indians to reduce edible oil consumption

India is facing an obesity problem.

In his monthly Mann ki Baat radio broadcast on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the growing problem of obesity and its impact on our health.

He proposed 10 people from various backgrounds to support the nation’s efforts to fight obesity and raise awareness.

Concerned, the PM also asked people to cook food with less oil.

So, what exactly is the latest initiative? Let’s take a closer look.

What is PM Modi’s anti-obesity campaign?

After discussing the impact of obesity on health on his radio podcast, PM Modi nominated 10 people from different walks of life to help spread awareness regarding obesity and its impact on health.

“As mentioned in yesterday’s #MannKiBaat, I would like to nominate the following people to help strengthen the fight against obesity and spread awareness on reducing edible oil consumption in food. I also request them to nominate 10 people each so that our movement gets bigger!” he wrote in a post on X.

The people nominated are Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Rajya Sabha MP and Infosys Foundation chairwoman Sudha Murthy, Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra, Olympic winning shooter Manu Bhaker, Olympic winning weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, singer Shreya Ghoshal and actors Mohanlal, Nirahua Hindustani, and R Madhavan.

Citing WHO figures, the prime minister stated in his radio address that over 250 crore people worldwide were overweight in 2022.

“These statistics are very serious and force all of us to think why this is happening. Excess weight or obesity gives rise to many kinds of problems and diseases,” he said, adding that using less oil and dealing with obesity is not just a matter of personal choice but that of responsibility towards one’s family.

During the show, he stated that
one in eight people suffers from obesity and that it is concerning that the problem has spread to children as well.

“To become a fit and healthy nation, we have to tackle the problem of obesity. Cases have doubled in the past few years, but what is even more worrying is that the problem among children has also increased four-fold.”

Also read: Why is it so difficult to lose weight? ‘Fat cells’ may be the reason

How serious is the obesity problem in India?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) first defines obesity as an excessive or abnormal buildup of fat that is harmful to one’s health. Overweight is defined as a
body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher and obesity is a BMI of 30 or higher.

India is the third most obese country in the world, after the US and
China. Abdominal obesity is the most common type of obesity, affecting millions of people in India.

Additionally, diabetes, heart disease, and strokes are among the major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that are prevalent in the country.

According to the 2019–2021 National Family Survey (NFHS-S), about 22.9 per cent of men and 24 per cent of women in India suffer from obesity.

In fact, according to a 2024 study that was published in The Lancet journal, there may be an obesity epidemic in India, which raises serious concerns, especially for the country’s youth.

In 2022, 12.5 million children (7.3 million males and 5.2 million girls) in the country between the ages of five and 19 were significantly overweight, up from 0.4 million in 1990, the report claims.

From 2.4 million women in 1990 to 44 million in 2022, the number of obese women over 20 has increased significantly, the Lancet report says.

In terms of the prevalence of obesity in women and men, India is ranked 182 out of 197 nations in 2022. According to the survey, the nation came in at number 174 in the globe for both boys and girls.

Based on Unicef’s World Obesity Altas 2022 report, by 2030, there will be over 27 million obese children in the nation, or a tenth of kids globally.

By 2035, almost 3.3 billion adults will be obese, according to the WOA 2024 report, and the number of young adults between the ages of five and 19 will increase to over 770 million.

According to the BBC, the financial burden of overweight and obesity is expected to increase from $23 billion in 2019 to an astounding $479 billion by 2060.

Also read: Why India should have a ‘sin tax’ on ultra-processed foods

Are edible oils a factor contributing to obesity?

Yes.

While junk food and sedentary lifestyles have received a lot of criticism, one other factor contributing to obesity has gone unnoticed – edible oil.

PM Modi said in his address that excessive oil consumption is a significant factor of the rising obesity rate and can lead to several health problems, including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

He urged people to cut back on oil consumption in addition to engaging in regular exercise and emphasising a healthy, balanced diet.

The Indian premier also shared a health tip.

“One method I suggested was reducing the consumption of edible oil by 10 per cent. Decide that you will use 10 per cent less oil every month. You can decide that while buying oil for cooking, you will buy 10 per cent less oil. This will be an important step towards reducing obesity,” he said, adding, “I will also urge them to pass on the same challenge to 10 new people. I am sure this will help a lot in fighting obesity.”

The Times of India report quoted Dr Vineet Kumar Surana, a consultant in diabetes and endocrinology at Manipal Hospital-Dwarka, as saying that excessive oil consumption can add hidden calories without providing fullness, leading to weight gain and obesity.

“One should not consume more than 600-700 millilitre per month, which translates to approximately 20 millilitre/day (roughly four teaspoons),” he advised.

Dr Anoop Misra, Chairperson of Fortis C-Doc, told the publication, “Normally, people tend to consume double the recommended amount of oil or more.”

He also cautioned about the dangers of reusing oil.

“Re-using oil for frying food items leads to an increase in trans-fats that are known to increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, among others,” he said.

Oil quality is just as significant as quantity.

Although groundnut and mustard oils are great for cooking, the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) advises using blend or rotating combination of oils, such as rice bran oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil and more.

According to GeeksforGeeks.org, palm oil is the most common and widely consumed cooking oil used all around the world.

The main countries that use a lot of palm oil are India, China, Indonesia, and the European Union.

With inputs from agencies