The health challenges of children are changing rapidly. Where parents once worried about seasonal flu or infections, now long-term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease are making their way into pediatric clinics.
These illnesses, once considered adult problems, are becoming alarmingly common among kids.
According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Cardio Diabetology and Metabolic Diseases, over 6 million children in India are now estimated to be overweight, and 2.4 million are already obese, according to recent estimates. The study also reveals childhood obesity is associated with 44% of diabetes and 23% of heart disease cases, many of whom are already presenting early signs of this at only 10 or 12 years old.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle Dr. Rahul Verma, Director of Paediatrics, Neonatology and General Paediatrics, Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, shares the causes behind this surge and what parents can do to protect their children.
What’s driving the rise in childhood obesity
Radical lifestyle changes in the last ten years. More screen time, less exercise, poor sleep patterns, and ubiquitous access to processed, high-calorie foods are creating a “perfect storm” for adverse health results. Kids today spend a lot more time on gadgets and smartphones than they do playing outside. Added to sugary snacks and late-night habits, this lifestyle is creating both obesity and premature metabolic disorders.
A primary worry is that, in contrast to adults, children will bear the burden of such habits longer, heightening the risk of chronic disease at an earlier stage in life. Not only do sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy eating accumulate fat, but they also shift insulin sensitivity, a pivotal catalyst for diabetes. Increasing cholesterol, high blood pressure, and fatty liver disease are also being found in children these days, conditions that were unheard of even twenty years ago.
Impact of the Western diet
The influence of a Western diet is one of the major impellers of increased childhood obesity and unhealthy lifestyle patterns among Indian children. The Western diet is generally high in ultra-processed foods (UPFs), sugar-sweetened drinks, fats, refined grains, and processed snacks and low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Consumption of UPFs has soared in India from $900 million in 2006 to $37.9 billion in 2019, driven by aggressive promotion and greater availability, particularly through media directed towards children and adolescents.
Increased adoption of the Western diet by Indian children and teenagers is strongly related to a sudden increase in overweight and obesity. According to UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Global Report 2025, from 2005 to 2021, rates of overweight in Indian children aged under five have increased by 127%, while adolescent obesity has increased by 288%. This change in diet is not only leading to weight gain but also growing risks for comorbidities like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and mental health problems.
How families and schools can reverse this trend
Parents and schools can help counter this trend. Nutritional advice includes well-balanced meals with lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and home-cooked traditional foods and less junk food and sugary drinks. Also important is the provision of at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day in the form of sport, outdoor play, or even just walking.
Today’s habits might mold the health of children for decades ahead. If parents, teachers, and policymakers all work together to build healthier environments, India can avoid the possibility of a future generation suffering from preventable chronic illnesses. The fix won’t happen overnight but is a cultural transformation in the way we think about children’s health. Small, daily habits, less viewing, more playing, wholesome meals, add up.