BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has witnessed a significant rise in obesity and high blood sugar among adults, with the burden increasingly concentrated in urban areas, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-6 report 2023-24. However, there is a marginal decline in hypertension compared to the previous survey of 2019-21.
As per the latest survey, nearly three out of every 10 women aged 15-49 years in Odisha are now overweight or obese. The proportion of overweight or obese women rose from 23 per cent (pc) in NFHS-5 to 29.7 pc in NFHS-6. Among men in the same age group, the prevalence has jumped from 22.2 pc to 27.8 pc.
The urban-rural divide is stark. In urban Odisha, the survey reveals 46.3 pc women and 43.9 pc men aged 15-49 years are overweight or obese, compared to 26.7 pc and 24.9 pc respectively in rural areas. On the other hand, while the percentage of underweight adults declined among women from 20.8 pc to 18.9 pc, it increased slightly among men from 15.3 pc to 17.5 pc.
The survey also highlights a sharp increase in blood sugar levels, signalling a growing diabetes burden in the state. Among females aged 15 years and above, the proportion with high or very high blood sugar levels, or those taking medicines to control blood sugar, rose from 14 pc in NFHS-5 to 21.7 pc in NFHS-6. The increase was steeper among men, up from 17 pc to 26.6 pc.
Urban residents recorded higher prevalence of elevated blood sugar than their rural counterparts. Among women, 26.2 pc in urban areas had high blood sugar levels or were on medication compared to 21 pc in rural Odisha. For men, the corresponding figures were 30 pc in urban areas and 26.1 pc in rural areas. Very high blood sugar levels (above 160 mg/dl) were reported among 14.5 pc of urban women and 18 pc of urban men.
In contrast, hypertension showed a slight improvement. Among women aged 15 years and above, the prevalence of elevated blood pressure or use of antihypertensive medication declined marginally from 22.4 pc in NFHS-5 to 22.3 pc in NFHS-6. Among men, the figure dropped from 25.6 pc to 24.9 pc. The urban population, however, continued to record higher rates of hypertension as elevated blood pressure was found among 26.6 pc of urban women compared to 21.5 pc in rural areas. Among men, 31.7 pc in urban areas had elevated blood pressure against 23.8 pc in rural areas.
At the national level, around 30.7 pc of women aged 15-49 years have been found to be overweight or obese in 2023-24, up from 24 pc in NFHS-5. In the same age group, the percentage of men found to be overweight or obese increased from 22.9 pc to 27.3 pc. The finding has also indicated a substantial rise in elevated blood sugar levels.