THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Battling obesity and getting rid of a stubborn potbelly isn’t just about appearance -- it’s a fight for better health and a longer life. Yet, despite the well-known benefits of weight loss, many struggle to shed the excess pounds.
The report on a 2015-17 study by the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) -- which was released on Monday -- is sure to shake up the way we think about fighting obesity. Instead of focusing on individuals alone, researchers have found that getting families involved can make a huge difference, offering a promising approach to weight management and long-term health improvement.
The trial, which tracked 1,671 participants across 750 families over two years, found that a comprehensive intervention could make a significant impact on obesity-related health markers like weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference.
The results are impressive. Families that took part in the study saw real improvements in their health. Participants lost an average of 2.6 kg, saw a decrease in body mass index (BMI), and trimmed their waistlines by over 4 cm.
Meanwhile, those in the control group, who didn’t receive the same level of support, gained weight. This family-based model not only prevented diabetes and other non-communicable diseases but also boosted life expectancy by 3-4 years.
A hands-on approach, where trained health workers (ASHAs) visited families regularly, helped them set health goals, and offered practical advice on eating better, getting more exercise, and reducing harmful habits like smoking and drinking.
In comparison, families in the control group received only enhanced usual care, which consisted of basic counselling and annual screenings.
By involving entire families, the intervention created a supportive environment where healthier behaviours were encouraged and sustained. Families, and not just individuals, were encouraged to make small, lasting changes together, like adding more fruits and vegetables to their meals, walking more, and cutting back on salt and sugar. These changes weren’t just about individual effort -- they were about creating lasting habits within the family dynamic.
“We demonstrate that our resource-sensitive, context-specific, and culturally appropriate lifestyle intervention model in families effectively reduces the average weight, waist circumference, and body mass index at the population level. Although new pharmacological interventions, which are highly costly, are effective in reducing weight at an individual level in high-risk groups, they would not have achieved a similar effect at the population level.
The very high prevalence of abdominal obesity, especially among women in Kerala, calls for population-wide efforts to reduce obesity and diabetes risk,” said Dr Jeemon Panniyammakal, leader author and additional professor at the Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies at SCTIMST.
The research findings come at a time when pharmaceutical companies are betting big on expensive medications to address the global obesity crisis. Dr Jeemon said family-level intervention is also money saver for the health system.
“The return on investment in our intervention model is guaranteed. Our rough estimates suggest that every Rs 100 invested in our intervention return Rs 1,300 over ten years, given its potential impact on delaying diabetes incidence by at least three years.”
The study demonstrates that by focusing on the family unit, it’s possible to foster sustainable behaviour changes that lead to lasting health benefits.
‘Prolific’ Progress
The PROgramme of Lifestyle Intervention in Families for Cardiovascular (PROLIFIC) risk reduction trial ran from 2015-17
It involved 1,671 participants from 750 families – 368 in interventional group and 382 families in usual care group
65% of participants were women
Counting the cost of obesity
71% women and 57% men in Kerala have abdominal obesity
38% of women are obese, against national average of 24%
36% of men are obese, against national average of 22.9%
In India, an estimated 135mn people are obese
Kerala is positioned eighth in terms of obesity among males and ninth in case of females
Source: National Family Health Survey-5, 2019-20
BMI Meter
Below 18.5 Underweight
18.5-24.9 Normal
25-29.9 Overweight
30 and higher Obese