Majority of urban Indians struggle with weight

Nearly half the population in urban India seems to be bogged down by weight issues triggered by poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyles, reveals a new survey.

And the majority is confused by the barrage of diet and healthy eating information available in the marketplace, it says.

According to Nielsen's Global Online Consumer Survey, that periodically tracks global trends and regional preferences, 54% of the population has issues with their weight.

44% of Indians think they are overweight and 10% think that they are underweight. While 46% say they are about the right weight.

"Indians obsess with weight loss, the number of fitness organisations that have cropped up in the past couple of years are testimony to that. Moreover, eating habits and sedentary lifestyles have led to weight problems for a lot of Indians," says Vatsala Pant, Associate Director, The Nielsen Company.

Anoop Misra, director, Department of Diabetes, Fortis Hospital, says, "I don't think the method of the survey carried out by these companies are very scientific. According to our survey, 30-40% of the big metro cities are either overweight or obese."

But you check B-centres like Allahabad or Lucknow, the figures may vary, says Anoop Misra. The survey, which was conducted in 52 countries, points out that Indians are adopting various methods to reduce their weight. While 79% Indians say they plan to exercise more, 69% try to shed the extra kilos by changing their diet.