81% of those screened obese in Delhi-NCR; half overweight nationally: Report

Delhi-NCR is seeing a worrying rise in lifestyle diseases, with 17 per cent of those screened found to have diabetes, 19 per cent hypertension, 23 per cent anaemia and a striking 81 per cent obesity, according to a report by a private hospital group.

“These findings underline the need for targeted health strategies and stronger community-level interventions to tackle these rising health challenges,” the report noted.

The data is part of a nationwide health assessment by Apollo Hospitals that analysed preventive screenings across multiple cities, based on over 3 million preventive health check participants nationally, highlighting how urban lifestyles are driving a silent surge in metabolic disorders.

In Delhi-NCR, the trends point to a high prevalence of obesity, which is emerging as a key driver behind conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, with many of these illnesses often remaining undetected in early stages.

At the national level, the report flags similar concerns, particularly among younger populations. It found that more than half of individuals under 30 screened, from a cohort of about 1 lakh individuals, were overweight, while many showed abnormal cholesterol levels and vitamin deficiencies, pointing to early onset of lifestyle-related conditions.

Among working professionals, based on about 5 lakh corporate health assessments, around 8 in 10 were found to be overweight or obese, nearly half had prediabetes or diabetes, and one in four had high blood pressure.

The report found obesity to be a key underlying factor, with weight identified as the biggest driver of heart disease risk in 4 out of 5 high-risk individuals, based on about 3,73,000 cardiac risk assessments, while several conditions, such as fatty liver, often remain “silent” and go undetected in routine tests.

“A health check finds the problem; action is what fixes it,” the report said.

“Urban lifestyles marked by poor diet, lack of physical activity and high stress are driving a silent surge in obesity and related diseases like diabetes and hypertension. What is concerning is that many of these conditions are now being detected at younger ages,” said Dr Rakesh Gupta, a senior physician.