Punjabis most obese people in India: Health Minister

Punjabis are the most obese people in the country, Health Minister J P Nadda told the Rajya Sabha today, while men from Tripura and women from Meghalaya are the leanest.

Replying to a question on the prevalence of obesity, a condition when Body Mass Index (BMI) is more than 25, Nadda said diabetes, which is linked to obesity, is seeing a consistent rise with 65, 66.8 and 69.1 million people between 20-79 years of age suffering from it in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Men and women from Punjab followed by Kerala and Delhi are the most obese people with 22.2, 17.8 and 16.8 per cent of men and 29.9, 28.1 and 26.4 per cent of women from respective states reporting a BMI of more than 25.

According to figures tabled in the House, women everywhere, except Bihar and Meghalaya, are more overweight than men.

In Tripura, only 4.8 per cent of men and 7.1 per cent of women are obese while in Meghalaya, only 5.9 per cent men and 5.3 per cent women are overweight.

The figures have been sourced to a 2005-06 National Family Health Survey.