For generations, the pot belly in India has been more than just a physical attribute ~ it has been a symbol. It signified prosperity, aging respectably and even social standing. A protruding midriff was something to be chuckled at, mocked in satire, or tolerated as part of a ‘well-fed’ life. But what was once a cultural badge of comfort has morphed into a silent, and increasingly deadly, epidemic. Today, India stands on the brink of a public health crisis, and at the heart of it is abdominal obesity. No longer merely a cosmetic issue, the bulging waistline is now a warning sign of deeper dysfunctions ~ metabolic diseases, insulin resistance, and an array of complications that affect the heart, liver, and pancreas.

Worryingly, studies in the US and UK reveal that even people who appear to be of average weight may carry dangerous levels of belly fat, especially among South Asians, whose fat storage patterns and metabolic........

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