‘Be healthy, be happy’: PM Modi urges people to reduce sugar intake, make Yoga part of daily life

New Delhi: Talking about the ill effects of excessive sugar consumption, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday advised everyone to eat well and stay healthy.

Responding to a reel on Instagram, PM Modi urged people to reduce their sugar intake.

PM highlights ill effects of excess sugar

Highlighting the ill effects of excessive sugar, he said it invites a range of diseases. “Then, of course, there is the looming threat of obesity,” he said.

He also advised people to make yoga a part of their lives. “It is a great way to remain fit and active,” he added.

PM Modi was responding to a reel by social media influencer Yuvraj Dua, who had asked him to advise his father to cut down on sugar. Dua, in a lighter vein, said that for his father, PM Modi comes first and he would listen to him.

PM Modi wrote: “On Yuvraj’s request, I will urge his father (and everyone else out there) to reduce sugar intake… Be healthy, be happy!”

What Unicef data says on obesity in India

Unicef in a report last year mentioned that in India, obesity was rising across all ages — from young children to adults.

The World Obesity Federation estimates that, that in 2019, obesity-related costs were estimated at nearly $29 billion, or 1 per cent of India’s GDP. By 2060, this figure is projected to reach $839 billion — 2.5 per cent of GDP.