While we continue to battle malnutrition in many communities, a silent epidemic is spreading through our households — one that carries far graver consequences. Obesity, once considered a problem of the affluent, is now clustering within Indian families at an alarming rate, and with it comes a hidden threat that policymakers can no longer ignore: Cancer.

Recent national data paint a disturbing picture of India’s nutritional transition. Nearly 20 per cent of Indian households now have all adult members classified as overweight, while 10 per cent have all adults classified as obese. This suggests shared environmental and behavioural factors. In states like Tamil Nadu and Punjab, two out of every five households have all adults classified as obese. Urban areas show clustering rates which are double those of rural areas, conveying a clear picture of how prosperity and urbanisation are transforming India’s health landscape.

What makes this particularly concerning is its transgenerational nature. When obesity clusters within households, children grow up in environments that normalise unhealthy dietary patterns and sedentary lifestyles, creating cycles of risk that transcend generations.

The evidence linking obesity to cancer is overwhelming. The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified excess body weight as a significant risk for cancer. Obesity is directly associated with at least........

© Indian Express