On the occasion of World Health Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Indians to embrace healthier lifestyles and work towards eliminating obesity.
He emphasized that personal fitness would play a crucial role in India’s aspiration to become a developed nation, or “Viksit Bharat.”
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi shared a message, stating, “On World Health Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to building a healthier world.
Our Government will keep focusing on healthcare and invest in different aspects of people’s well-being. Good health is the foundation of every thriving society!”
On World Health Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to building a healthier world. Our Government will keep focusing on healthcare and invest in different aspects of people’s well-being. Good health is the foundation of every thriving society! pic.twitter.com/2XEpVmPza9
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 7, 2025
Rising Obesity Crisis In India
In a video message, PM Modi highlighted the importance of health, echoing the age-old saying that “health is the ultimate fortune and the ultimate wealth.”
He also raised concerns over India’s escalating obesity problem, warning that it could become a major crisis.
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“You all know that today, our lifestyle is becoming a big threat to our health. Recently, a report has come on the problem of obesity.
This report says that by 2050, more than 44 crore Indians will suffer from obesity. This is scary. How big a crisis can this be?” the Prime Minister said.
Simple Steps For Healthier Living
PM Modi emphasized that improving health requires not only individual responsibility but also a collective societal effort.
He proposed a simple yet impactful step: reducing the use of cooking oil by 10%.
“I want to take a promise from you today that we all should reduce our cooking oil by 10 per cent. This will be a big step towards reducing obesity,” he said.
He also encouraged incorporating regular physical activity into daily routines, stressing that keeping fit would contribute significantly to India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation.
“Apart from this, we have to make exercise a part of our life. If we keep ourselves fit, then it will be a big contribution to the journey of a Viksit Bharat,” he added.
Ongoing Advocacy Against Obesity
PM Modi has consistently raised awareness about obesity and lifestyle-related health issues.
In a recent episode of his radio program, Mann Ki Baat, he discussed India’s progress in the global sports arena while underscoring the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Referring to alarming data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Prime Minister pointed out that one in every eight people in India is affected by obesity, with the prevalence having doubled in recent years.
He also noted a fourfold increase in childhood obesity.
Obesity-Related Health Risks
PM Modi warned that obesity could lead to severe health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension.
However, he emphasized that small, manageable changes in daily habits could significantly reduce these risks.
Nationwide Campaign For Awareness
To further spread the message of healthy living, PM Modi enlisted ten prominent personalities to join a nationwide campaign against obesity.
These individuals included Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, industrialist Anand Mahindra, actor-politician Dinesh Lal Yadav (alias Nirahua), Olympic medalists Manu Bhaker and Mirabai Chanu, actors Mohanlal and R. Madhavan, singer Shreya Ghoshal, philanthropist Sudha Murthy, and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani.
PM Modi encouraged each of these personalities to nominate ten more individuals to extend the movement’s reach, ensuring a wider societal impact.
By promoting simple lifestyle changes and encouraging a national conversation on health, PM Modi aims to combat India’s growing obesity crisis and lay the foundation for a healthier future.
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