The Union Health Ministry of India has released new guidelines for prevention and management of obesity and metabolic syndrome. According to the new guidelines of the Ministry, a person with a body mass index of 23 kg/m² will be considered overweight. Earlier it was 25 kg/m². Now, those with BMI of 25 kg/m² will be clinically termed obese. The new standards were released by the Health ministry in association with the Diabetes Foundation of India, the All-India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Indian Council of Medical Research, the National Institute of Nutrition and 20 other health organisations.

 

While releasing the obesity guidelines, director and head, department of diabetes and metabolic diseases, Fortis Hospitals, New Delhi and Noida, Dr Anoop Misra stated that changes were made keeping in mind the different body, genetic and metabolic composition of the Indian people. According to him, since Indians differ from westerns, the parameters for obesity should also differ. The new guide lines will bring more people under the overweight and obesity bracket.

 

Dr Anoop Misra further informed that the change in obesity guidelines will help to prevent diabetes and heart diseases. At present India has the largest number of diabetes people in the world. It is expected that by the next 20 years, the diabetes patients in India will increase by whopping 170 per cent. The new obesity guidelines will soon be compiled and published by the Indian Council of Medical Research.