Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among Children Younger Than 5 Years in India - Takeaways - MDSpire
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Frequency of Overweight and Obesity in Children Under 5 Years Old in India

  • By

  • Rajesh Kumar Rai

  • Mika Matsuzaki

  • Jan-Walter De Neve

  • Sumaira Zafar

  • Sabri Bromage

  • Rockli Kim

  • S. V. Subramanian

  • September 29, 2026

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  • 1

    Overweight prevalence among Indian children under 5 years increased from 1.6% in 2006 to 3.4% in 2021, then declined to 1.3% in 2024.

  • 2

    Childhood overweight and obesity in India are linked to maternal characteristics, nutritional exposures, and genetic predisposition.

  • 3

    The Indian Constitution assigns health responsibilities to state governments, requiring collaboration with the Union Government for obesity prevention.

  • 4

    Limited evidence exists on long-term trends of childhood overweight and obesity across Indian states and union territories.

  • 5

    The study utilized data from the National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) to analyze trends in overweight and obesity among children under 5 years.

Original Source(s)

Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among Children Younger Than 5 Years in India

  • by Rajesh Kumar Rai, Mika Matsuzaki, Jan-Walter De Neve, Sumaira Zafar, Sabri Bromage, Rockli Kim, S. V. Subramanian

  • September 29, 2026

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