This year’s Economic Survey Be mindful of the economic impact of increased costs Non-communicable diseases India’s working-age population needs skills and health to be gainfully employed. Social media, screen time, sedentary habits and unhealthy diets are a deadly combination that undermines public health and productivity, diminishing India’s economic potential.
It further states, “The private sector’s contribution to this harmful mix of habits is significant and shortsighted. Indians’ new eating habits are not only unhealthy but also environmentally unsustainable.”
According to the report, obesity and diabetes are on the rise in the country. Citing data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019 and 2021), the study said that obesity has increased by four percentage points among men and 3.4 percentage points among women compared to the previous survey in 2015-16.
The report blames the surge in consumption of highly processed foods, rich in sugar and fat, saying, “If India is to reap the benefits of its demographic dividend, it is crucial that the health indicators of the population shift towards a balanced and diverse diet.”As stated by the National Institute of Nutrition in its recent dietary guidelines for Indians, the report states that 56.4% of the total disease burden is due to unhealthy dietary habits.
The study further states that the incidence of type 2 diabetes has increased from 2% to 20% over the past 50 years. The study asserts: “First, healthy diet and mental health need to be given due attention by governments and the public at large. Second, as public health is a state matter, state and local level governance remains crucial in ensuring large-scale national programs reach the last mile through the path of least resistance.”
The government plans to offer testing for non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and the three most common cancers through a network of over 160,000 health and wellness centres across the country. Some states, such as Delhi, have yet to implement the plan, while others, such as Punjab and West Bengal, are at loggerheads with the central government over funding and branding norms that must be followed.
Testing people and giving them medicines is not enough, said Dr Dileep Mavlankar, former director of the Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar. “If you have an unhealthy workforce, it has a huge impact on the economy. While earlier the focus was on infectious diseases and maternal and child health, in recent years there has been a shift towards non-communicable diseases. The health system is still geared towards managing acute diseases, but managing chronic diseases such as diabetes requires long-term follow-up of each patient,” he said.
Regarding mental health, the National Mental Health Survey 2015-2016 reported that 10.6% of adults in India suffer from mental disorders, and also noted the negative impact of social media on children’s mental health.
© Indian Express Ltd.
First uploaded: 23 July 2024 05:12 IST
