Srinagar, Jun 26 (KNO): Childhood obesity is rapidly emerging as a significant public health concern in Jammu and Kashmir, with health experts warning that unhealthy dietary habits, sedentary lifestyles, and increasing screen time are placing children at a greater risk of developing obesity and several chronic diseases at an early age.
According to the latest health awareness data based on the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6, 2023-24), the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults in J&K has increased considerably over the past five years.
The data, accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), reveals that among women aged 15-49 years, the proportion who are overweight or obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m²) has risen from 36.1 per cent in NFHS-5 (2019-21) to 42.8 per cent in NFHS-6, marking an increase of 6.7 percentage points. Similarly, among men in the same age group, the prevalence has increased from 29.4 per cent to 36.3 per cent, an increase of 6.9 percentage points.
Health experts say these figures reflect a growing lifestyle-related health challenge and highlight the importance of beginning preventive measures during childhood.
Although NFHS-6 does not provide obesity estimates for school-age children, published school-based studies in J&K estimate that 8 to 15 per cent of children are overweight, while 3 to 8 per cent are obese, with higher prevalence reported in urban and economically well-off households.
Experts attribute the increasing trend to a combination of unhealthy food choices, reduced physical activity, excessive screen exposure, inadequate sleep, and changing family lifestyles. The widespread use of smartphones, television, and video games has reduced physical activity, while late-night screen use has contributed to poor sleep patterns that disturb hormones regulating hunger and metabolism. The unique climatic conditions of Kashmir also contribute to the problem, with long winters limiting outdoor sports and physical exercise.
Doctors warn that obesity during childhood is associated with several immediate health complications, including high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, joint pain, and reduced physical fitness. Obesity also affects children's mental well-being, often leading to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, bullying, and poor academic performance. If left unaddressed, childhood obesity can persist into adulthood, increasing the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, osteoarthritis, certain cancers, and reduced life expectancy.
Medical experts recommend that every child engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily, while recreational screen time should be restricted to less than two hours per day.
Adequate sleep is equally important, with preschool children requiring 10 to 13 hours, school-age children 9 to 12 hours, and teenagers 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night. Parents are encouraged to adopt the internationally recommended 5-2-1-0 Rule: consume five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, limit recreational screen time to two hours or less, ensure one hour of physical activity, and avoid zero-sugar-sweetened beverages.
Nutrition experts advise families to promote balanced diets consisting of fresh fruits, seasonal vegetables, whole grains, pulses, milk, curd, eggs, fish, lean meat, and moderate quantities of nuts, while avoiding soft drinks, packaged fruit juices, chips, instant noodles, cakes, pastries, burgers, pizzas, fried snacks, and excessive sweets.
Experts recommend schools introduce daily sports periods, implement healthy canteen policies, ban sugary drinks on campus, conduct annual BMI assessments, and strengthen nutrition education. Families can contribute by eating meals together, encouraging outdoor games, and setting healthy examples. At the community level, experts call for more parks and playgrounds, safer walking and cycling infrastructure, and stronger regulation of unhealthy food marketing.
Dr S. Muhammad Salim Khan, Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College Srinagar, said that preventing obesity must begin early in life. "Every family, school, community, and government institution has a shared responsibility in addressing childhood obesity," Dr Khan said, adding that a healthy child today will lead to a healthier Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow—(KNO)