{"id":151706,"date":"2025-01-16T19:03:09","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T13:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=151706"},"modified":"2025-03-03T12:00:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T06:30:18","slug":"meat-of-the-obesity-problem","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/meat-of-the-obesity-problem","title":{"rendered":"The Meat of the Obesity Problem"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lancet urges a <\/span><b>shift from Body Mass Index (BMI) to better obesity metrics<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, emphasizing the need for accurate assessments to address rising obesity rates.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Key reforms proposed in obesity diagnosis<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Old classification system<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Traditional Approach (Old System) Relied solely on Body Mass Index (BMI).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI <\/span><b>over 30 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">was considered <\/span><b>obese<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This method was<\/span><b> Simple but problematic measurement system<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>New Classification System<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Dual System: New system comprises two categories: Clinical Obesity and Pre-clinical Obesity.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Clinical Obesity: Considers not just physical measurements but also health impacts like heart disease, diabetes, and joint issues.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li><b>It looks at how excess weight affects daily activities.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Pre-clinical Obesity: Identifies individuals at risk before they develop serious health issues.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li><b>This allows for early intervention and promotes healthier lifestyles.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Diagnostic Tools and Implementation<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Beyond BMI: The new framework uses more advanced tools:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Waist Circumference: Important for spotting dangerous abdominal fat.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critical threshold for women: > <\/span><b>35 inches<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critical threshold for men: ><\/span><b> 40 inches<\/b>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indicates abdominal fat risk<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>DEXA Scans: Provide accurate body fat measurements.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Comprehensive Health Assessments: Check cardiovascular health, metabolic markers, and joint functionality.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Lifestyle Factors: Includes physical activity, diet, and sleep quality.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>What is obesity?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-151691 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1611-678906895ad3d.webp\" alt=\"Obesity\" width=\"355\" height=\"320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1611-678906895ad3d.webp 657w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1611-678906895ad3d-300x271.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 355px) 100vw, 355px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a disease in which the body accumulates excess body fat (adipose tissue).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It occurs due to intake of more calories than burned by exercises.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A person having a <\/span><b>BMI of 30 or more<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is considered <\/span><b>obese.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Indian Status of obesity: 2022 v\/s 1990<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Obesity among women:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Lancet study reveals that 44 million women above 20 in India were obese.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among women, the <\/span><b>prevalence of obesity has seen a sharp rise, with 9.8 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">per cent now classified as obese.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has increased by 8.6 percentage points since 1990.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-151756 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/unnamed-2025-01-17t114115243-678a024091d84.webp\" alt=\"Obesity\" width=\"353\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/unnamed-2025-01-17t114115243-678a024091d84.webp 1271w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/unnamed-2025-01-17t114115243-678a024091d84-300x160.webp 300w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/unnamed-2025-01-17t114115243-678a024091d84-1024x546.webp 1024w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/unnamed-2025-01-17t114115243-678a024091d84-768x410.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 353px) 100vw, 353px\" \/><b>Obesity among men: 26 million men aged above 20 in India were found to be obese\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The obesity rate among men has increased to 5.4 per cent, representing a 4.9 percentage point rise over the same period.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>India&#8217;s Global Position:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regarding obesity prevalence among women, <\/span><b>India ranks 182nd out of 197 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">countries worldwide as of 2022.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For men, India holds the<\/span><b> 180th position globally.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among girls and boys, India is placed<\/span><b> 174th on the global scale.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Global ranking for underweight: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India holds the highest global ranking for underweight girls and the second-highest for boys.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>What is BMI?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI is<\/span><b> a medical tool<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that measures<\/span><b> body fat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by comparing a<\/span><b> person\u2019s weight and height<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is calculated using the formula:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span> <b>BMI = Weight (kg) \u00f7 Height\u00b2 (m\u00b2)<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While BMI gives <\/span><b>an estimate of body fat, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">it is not <\/span><b>always accurate.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthcare providers combine BMI with other tests to assess overall health.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Importance of Body Fat<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Too Much Body Fat: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can cause health problems like heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-151692 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1612-678906875f8e3.webp\" alt=\"Obesity\" width=\"351\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1612-678906875f8e3.webp 682w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1612-678906875f8e3-300x192.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 351px) 100vw, 351px\" \/><b>Too Little Body Fat: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">May lead to malnutrition, weak immunity, anemia, osteoporosis, and infertility.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Ideal Body Fat: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps <\/span><b>absorb vitamins, provides energy, regulates body temperature, and protects organs.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>BMI Classification (in kg\/m\u00b2)<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Underweight: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Less than 18.5<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Normal Range: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">18.5 to 24.9<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Overweight:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 25 to 29.9<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Class I Obesity: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30 to 34.9<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Class II Obesity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 35 to 39.9<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Class III Obesity: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More than 40<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Limitations of BMI\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Cannot distinguish between:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Muscle mass and fat mass<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Different body types and compositions<\/span>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Athletic vs sedentary individuals<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does not account for<\/span><b> fat distribution<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fails to consider individual health conditions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Examples of BMI limitations:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Athletes often classified as obese despite being healthy<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some people <\/span><b>with dangerous fat levels <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">may have normal BMI<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doesn&#8217;t account for age or gender difference<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 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rates.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":151697,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2084],"subject":[2124],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/151706"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=151706"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/151706\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":151761,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/151706\/revisions\/151761"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/151697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=151706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=151706"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=151706"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=151706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}