IT is well known that a large population of the country is battling obesity, the root of all diseases, due to which diseases like diabetes, thyroid, and high blood pressure have increased not only among adults, but also in adolescents and children. The good thing is that like the epidemic, now the government has also become alert about the increasing obesity. NITI Aayog, the country’s policy-making body, has recommended to identify the major factors of its growth such as sugar, salt and fat-rich foods and increase the excise duty on these foods to make citizens free from obesity. In this episode, it has been said to take steps like ‘front of the pack labeling’ on products, so that people can be warned about the danger of obesity. The purpose is that people should be careful while choosing food items and they should know what is dangerous for their health. The report of the Research Institute of NITI Aayog for the year 2021-2022 warns that the problem of overweight and obesity among children, adolescents and women is increasing continuously in the country. NITI Aayog is taking steps in this direction in collaboration with the country’s Institute of Economic Development and the Public Health Organization of India. In fact, Indian food has traditionally been a trend of namkeen, chips, bhujia, etc., but in recent years, in the name of snacks, there has been an increase in the popularity of such foods which are injurious to health. It should be a matter of our concern that according to the National Family Health Survey, the number of women suffering from obesity in the country has gone up to 24 percent, while the figure for men is 22.9%. In such a situation, the need of the hour should be said that the government should take steps in this direction. Undoubtedly, obesity is the root of all diseases and the Indian medical system feels the pressure due to the diseases caused by it.
Actually, due to change in urban lifestyle and eating habits, the problem of obesity has become worrying. Talks continued about this problem, but no serious initiative was seen in this direction. Due to the market gimmicks, the use of junk food and packaged food items increased in the country. In this, the producers searched the market but did not care about the health of the common man. The irony was also that there was mention of factors that increase obesity, but serious efforts were not seen to stop them. The steps taken to stop them were only symbolic. The market is full of such foods which are tempting in taste, but are heavy on health. They have a long-term harmful effect on health, due to which obesity increases and under its guise serious diseases ranging from diabetes to heart disease start growing. Which over time takes a frightening form due to neglect. Undoubtedly, the need of the hour is to strictly regulate the factors causing obesity. People should know that what they are consuming affects their health. In fact, due to the change in eating habits, the problem of obesity in developed countries has started spreading rapidly in India too. In India, such a problem assumes a formidable form because people are not conscious in time. We have failed to create awareness among the general public about obesity. We do not care when the factors that increase obesity have become a part of our daily life. Also which foods are really fattening. When the body becomes a home of deadly diseases due to such carelessness, the person does not even realize it. But while taxing such food items, keep in mind that the lives of common and poor people are not affected. Along with this, there is also a need to run an awareness campaign against obesity in the country.
Vijay Garg
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