India’s Health Crisis: Causes and the Way Forward
Lifestyle diseases like diabetes, PCOS, and obesity are rising fast in India due to poor diet, less exercise, and stress. Experts warn urgent lifestyle changes are needed to prevent a health crisis.
India’s Silent Health Crisis: The Rise of Lifestyle Diseases
In the last 30 years, India’s health has changed drastically. Diseases that were once rare are now seen in almost every family. In 1990, only 5 out of 100 Indians had lifestyle-related diseases. By 2020, this number rose to 30, and by 2035, it may cross 45.
Conditions like diabetes, thyroid problems, fatty liver, PCOS, heart disease, and obesity are no longer limited to the rich or city dwellers. They affect people of all ages and income groups. The main reasons are processed food, long sitting hours, poor sleep, stress, and less physical activity.
Earlier, families ate grains, vegetables, pulses, and natural oils. Today, packaged, fried, and sugary foods dominate meals. These are high in sugar, salt, and bad fats. On average, Indians now sit for 10 hours a day and spend more than 7 hours on phones or devices. This has led to a health crisis: 10 crore people already have diabetes, fatty liver affects 1 in 3 adults, PCOS affects 7% of women, and thyroid disorders affect 4 crore Indians.
These metabolic disorders, if untreated, can cause heart disease, kidney failure, infertility, stroke, and even cancers. Healthcare has become a ?7 lakh crore industry, and if nothing changes, it may cross ?12 lakh crore by 2040.
The good news is most of these problems can be prevented. Walking daily, eating home-cooked food, reducing junk, getting enough sleep, and managing stress can reverse or stop the rise of lifestyle diseases. The time to act is now.
