NEW DELHI: As obesity has become a silent epidemic in India, fiscal policies must be introduced to make healthy food options affordable and accessible while discouraging unhealthy choices through higher taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods, according to a national white paper released on Tuesday.Despite the increasing prevalence of obesity, India’s healthcare system lacks a structured approach to obesity prevention and management, according to the white paper ‘Obesity Care in India’ released by the Foundation for People-centric Health Systems, a not-for-profit organisation working towards strengthening the public healthcare system in India.“Obesity is a silent epidemic that demands urgent and sustained action at multiple levels. Strengthening policy frameworks, increasing public awareness, and ensuring equitable access to healthcare services is critical to mitigating the obesity burden in India,” said Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, an acclaimed primary care physician, academician, health policy researcher and global health expert, who is the lead author of the white paper.Highlighting significant gaps in addressing obesity in India, the paper said there is a lack of national screening programs for early obesity detection; limited integration of obesity care into primary healthcare services and reactive rather than preventive interventions focusing on treating complications instead of promoting healthier behaviours.
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