Obesity in INDIANS has characteristic features – high prevalence of

abdominal obesity, with more “intra-abdominal and truncal subcutaneous

adiposity,” experts say, meaning the fat deposits at the abdominal are which

includes stomach, thighs & buttocks.

               Internationally, a BMI over 25 kg/m2 is considered overweight. Due to

genetic tendency of Indians towards abdominal obesity guidelines for

diagnosis of obesity for India have been published in JAPI (2009) that a BMI

over 23 kg/m2 is considered overweight.

                 In India 1 out of 5 people are either overweight or obese and this rate

is only worsening. Excessive weight is associated with a series of health problems,

including blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular ailments.