Young, women prone to obesity in rural areas

CHENNAI: The urban-rural divide in Tamil Nadu is quickly disappearing with regard to lifestyle diseases, according to a study by the National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE).
Scientists from the institute who first did the body mass index study between 2005 and 2007 repeated it between 2009 and 2011 on 10,500 people from Tiruvallur as a part of a study on the cardiovascular risk factors over a period of time.Body mass index is the weight in kg divided by the square of the height in metres (kg/m2). As per the current value setting a BMI of 18.5 to 25 may indicate optimal weight; a BMI lower than 18.5 suggests the person is underweight. A BMI above 25 may indicate the person is overweight and that above 30 suggests they are obese.
Epidemiologists found that young people (25-45 years) and women were prone to obesity and were at risk for a series of lifestyle diseases. Until recently, lifestyle diseases were related to urban areas and cities where people were on high-fat diet and low exercise regimen. Now, epidemiologists say, rural areas are rapidly changing.
The overall increase of BMI (above 23kg/m2) is 3.5% but the increase is more in women (4.3%) than men (2%). The fastest increase is in the age group 25-34 years (5.8%) followed by 35-44 years (4.5%). There are no significant changes in the 45-64 age group. Doctors say it’s important to bring down the incidence of obesity as it can lead to a variety of problems, including cardiac diseases.
Epidemiologist Prahdeep Kaur, who was part of the study, said obesity was one of the risk factors for early onset of diseases. “Studies have shown Indians have diabetes and heart diseases when they are in their 20s and 30s while most of the people in the West are at risk when they turn 60. One of the most important reasons for this is obesity,” she said.
Cardiologists like Apollo Hospitals chairman Dr P C Reddy say some heart disorders found in a 35-year-old Indian are similar to those found in an average 60-year-old in the US. Apart from obesity, people in the 25-34 age group have an increased risk with habits such as smoking and drinking. “Already Indians have a genetic predisposition to diabetes. These risk factors act like a trigger,” said diabetologist Dr V Mohan. NIE has recommended an increase in awareness regarding lifestyle modification to prevent ‘weight gain’ in young people. “Public health programmes must focus on the 25-45 age group and focus on stopping obesity,” said Kaur.