As India climbs the success ladder, something else is quietly ballooning—our kids. They’re gaining more than just opportunities; they’re gaining weight. Fast food has crashed the dinner table, playtime’s been swapped for screen time, and the swing set is gathering dust. The outcome? A silent, sneaky rise in childhood obesity.Once, chubby cheeks were a sign …
As India climbs the success ladder, something else is quietly ballooning—our kids. They’re gaining more than just opportunities;
they’re gaining weight. Fast food has crashed the dinner table, playtime’s been swapped for screen time, and the swing set is
gathering dust. The outcome? A silent, sneaky rise in childhood obesity.Once, chubby cheeks were a sign of health. Now, they
might just be a red flag in disguise. In this eye-opening two-part series, Dr. Sujoy Das, a Surgeon from Margao, Goa, unpacks
how our fast-paced lives are reshaping children’s health—and why it’s time for families and schools to hit pause and reboot.
India has transformed from a poor country into a middle-income economy. Along with this change, the consumption and eating habits of most families have also shifted. It’s sad to see so many children in schools who are now obese. How did we get here? Childhood obesity has slowly crept in— almost unnoticed! While exact figures vary, studies indicate that the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity among Indian children and adolescents has risen significantly over recent decades. Estimates suggest it reached around 19.3% in some regions after 2010, up from 16.3% in the early 2000s.
This rise is particularly notable in urban areas, where access to processed foods and sedentary lifestyles is more common. Goa today has also become increasingly urbanised. People now have access to all kinds of fast foods such as juices, noodles, samosas patties, burgers, omelettes, and more.
Several factors contribute to this trend. One major reason is the shift from traditional diets— rich in whole grains, vegetables, and legumes-to energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods like fast food, sugary snacks, and soft drinks. The Goan diet, once centered around rice with vegetables and fish curry, has shifted to fried rice, fried chicken, noodles, biryani, biscuits, cakes, and pastries.
This is reflected in the increasing number of pastry shops in Goa, which primarily serve foods loaded with sugar and simple carbohydrates— nutrients with little value. A child needs at least 30% of his diet to come from protein, i.e., 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is found in foods like fish, eggs, meat, dals, paneer, and curds.
Goan vegetables such as tambdi bhaji, brinjals, gourds, and ladyfingers, along with seasonal fruits, must be made a regular children’s meals. Red rice should be used instead of polished white rice, and whole wheat should replace refined maida. Sedentary
Behavioura-like excessive screen time (TV, smartphones, video games)— has replaced physical play. Many children do not meet the recommended 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous activity. Cultural beliefs, such as I thinking a chubby child is a healthy child, also delay the recognition of obesity. Genetics can play a role, but environmental and lifestyle factors make the risk worse. Urban living, with limited safe spaces for outdoor activity and heavy reliance on cars or scooters, adds to the problem. Children should be encouraged to walk or bicycle to school, if the distance is short.
Weekend family walks, outdoor outings should be encouraged.
Outdoor time is quality time
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