**Executive Summary**
This is a response by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2364 concerning cases of obesity in India, set to be answered on February 13th, 2026. The response details the ICMR-INDIAB study findings on obesity prevalence, the role of ASHAs in risk assessment, and governmental initiatives like the National Health Mission and Eat Right Movement to address nutrition and obesity.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **ICMR-INDIAB Study Findings:**
* A study was conducted from 2008 to 2020 across 30 States/UTs, including 113,043 individuals aged 20 years and older.
* The overall weighted prevalence of generalized obesity is 28.6%, and abdominal obesity is 39.5%.
* State/UT-wise prevalence of obesity is provided in Annexure-I.
* **Risk Assessment by ASHAs:**
* Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) conduct risk assessments, including waist circumference measurement, using the Community-Based Assessment Checklist (CBAC).
* **National Health Mission (NHM) Interventions:**
* The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare implements a life cycle approach under the NHM to address nutrition among children, including obesity.
* **Eat Right Movement:**
* The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) launched the Eat Right Movement.
* Aims to engage citizens, including children, to improve their health through healthy eating.
* Creates awareness of the risks of excessive consumption of foods high in salt, sugar, and fat.
* **Health Promotion and Awareness Initiatives:**
* The Government focuses on health promotion through movements like ‘Fit India Movement’.
* Activities for healthy living are promoted through the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).
* Promotion of wellness activities and targeted communications at the community level under Ayushman Aarogya Mandir (AAM).
* Yoga activities carried out by the Ministry of AYUSH.
* Financial support for awareness generation (IEC) under NP-NCD.
* Health Melas organized at each AAM.
* Interventions under Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) for adolescents (10-19 years).
* National child health screening programme under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) for children (birth to 18 years).
**Impact Analysis**
**Citizens / General Public**
*Impact:*
Awareness of risk factors for obesity and promotion of healthy lifestyles and access to health assessments.
*Action Required:*
Engage in healthy eating habits and lifestyles and participate in health awareness programs.
**Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs)**
*Impact:*
Required to conduct risk assessments for individuals using the Community-Based Assessment Checklist (CBAC), including waist circumference measurements.
*Action Required:*
Implement risk assessments in the communities they serve.
**Ministry of Health and Family Welfare**
*Impact:*
Responsible for implementing a life cycle approach under National Health Mission (NHM) to address nutrition among children, including obesity across the country
*Action Required:*
To continue implementing and promoting relevant policies.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The primary government ministry responsible for policies related to obesity and public health in India.
ICMR-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study: A study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) that provides data on obesity prevalence across India.
National Health Mission (NHM): A national mission under which the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare implements a life cycle approach to address nutrition and obesity among children.
Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI): The authority responsible for the 'Eat Right Movement' which aims to improve health and wellbeing by promoting healthy eating habits and creating public awareness regarding foods that lead to obesity.
Ayushman Aarogya Mandir (AAM): A component of the Comprehensive Primary Health Care initiative focusing on promotion of wellness activities at the community level.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2364
TOBE ANSWERED ON13TH FEBRUARY,2026
CASES OFOBESITY
†2364.DR. SAMBITPATRA:
Willthe Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether the Government has conducted any assessment or study regarding the number of obese
women, men,boysandgirlsinthe countryand if so, the detailsthereof,State-wise;
(b) whether any proposal is under consideration to revise the definition of clinical obesity and
preclinicalobesity andif so, the detailsthereof;
(c) whether any proposal is under consideration to constitute a task force on obesity prevention in
the countryandif so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government hasbeenrunning anypublic awareness campaignagainst obesity inthe
countryandif so, the detailsthereof; and
(e) whether any proposal is under consideration to classify obesity as a public health epidemic and
if so, the detailsthereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND
FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) & (b) ICMR conducted a study entitled “ICMR-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB)” study, from
2008 to 2020, in the 30 States/UTs across the country. In this study, a total of 113043 individuals
aged 20 years and older have been included. As per data from this study, the overall weighted
prevalence of generalized obesity is 28.6% and abdominal obesity 39.5%. The state/UT wise
prevalenceof obesity (generalized & abdominal)isgivenat Annexure -I
(c) to (e) Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) conduct risk assessments, including waist
circumference measurement, for individuals using the Community-Based Assessment Checklist
(CBAC). Ministry of Health and Family Welfare implements a life cycle approach under National
Health Mission (NHM), which includes interventions toaddress nutrition among childrenincluding
obesity across the country, asplacedbelow:
i Eat Right Movement launched by Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) aims to
engage and enable citizens including children to improve their health and wellbeing by eating
healthyandnutritiousfoods andcreatespublic awareness thatregularandexcessive consumption of
foods highinsalt, sugar andfat leadstoobesity.ii The Government of India focuses on health promotion and awareness generation through
countrywide movements like ‘Fit India Movement’ where people are encouraged to remain healthy
andfit.
iii. The following activities for healthy living including physical activities are also promoted
through the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-
NCD):
Promotion of wellness activities and targeted communications at the community level are
undertaken under the Comprehensive Primary Health Care through Ayushman Aarogya
Mandir (AAM).
Yoga related activities are carried out by the Ministry of AYUSH.
Financial support for awareness generation activities (IEC) through print, electronic and
social media under NP-NCD.
Health Melas are organized at each AAM to generate awareness about healthy lifestyles.
Under the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), the Government implements
preventive, promotive and curative interventions to improve the health and well-being of
adolescents in the age group of 10–19 years.
Under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), a national child health screening
programme is implemented for early detection and free treatment of health conditions
among children from birth to 18 years.Annexure referred to inreplyto point(a) of the PQ2364to beansweredon13.02.2026
Annexure-I
States/UTs Generalized Obesity(%) Abdominal Obesity(%)
HimachalPradesh 38.6 54.6
Punjab 39.7 57.2
Chandigarh 31.3 36.2
Uttarakhand 33.4 46.1
Haryana 37.8 56.9
Delhi 41.8 55.0
Rajasthan 23.4 34.6
Uttar Pradesh 24.1 33.5
Bihar 14.5 26.1
Sikkim 39.8 48.4
Arunachal Pradesh 23.2 32.9
Nagaland 21.1 30.3
Manipur 30.4 40.7
Mizoram 21.9 28.9
Tripura 15.5 29.6
Meghalaya 13.9 24.8
Assam 14.7 24.7
West Bengal 24.8 39.4
Jharkhand 11.7 16.8
Odisha 28.8 39.1
Chhattisgarh 18.8 29.5
Madya Pradesh 18.3 27.2
Gujarat 22.1 28.4
Maharashtra 16.6 18.7
Andhra Pradesh 25.0 23.5
Karnataka 22.9 31.8
Goa 40.3 47.6
Kerala 43.6 58.2
Tamil Nadu 24.5 26.6
Puducherry 45.9 51.8