Battle of the bulge
| APRIL 25, 2017, 05:11 AM IST
Goa is a small and compact state, but it is bulging in the middle. A recent study shows that the state has a higher incidence of obesity as compared to say its much larger neighbour Maharashtra. In fact, Goa, at 33.5%, is home to the largest percentage of obese women in the country. That’s an alarming statistic indeed. The men, at 32.6 per cent, are not far behind. Why have obesity levels more than doubled over the last 10 years? Is it the sedentary lifestyles we lead or the kind of food we eat that is causing these numbers to skyrocket? According to the WHO, the fundamental cause of obesity is an imbalance between calories consumed and those expended during the day. That being said, maybe we need to eat less and control our portions, or maybe we need to get moving and exercise more. Granted, obesity is not the Black Death, but it is a severe public health crisis that continues to worsen. What’s more, it is a truly costly affair. In a study conducted in Maharashtra, it was found that the average monthly expenditure of an obese individual on medical treatment was around Rs 30,000. That’s a lot of money for something that is entirely preventable. So why not make healthier choices like following a balanced eating plan and exercising daily and you will reduce the chance of contracting potentially serious health problems.
