News: A Study published in The Lancet has provided new estimates for height and Body Mass Index(BMI) trends in 2019 across 200 countries after analysing data from 2,181 studies.
Facts:
- Body Mass Index(BMI):It is measured as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in metres.The normal BMI ranges between 20 and 25.
- India’s Rank in BMI:
- The study has ranked India at the 196th spot.India’s 19-year-old boys and girls have a BMI of 20.1.
- Comparatively, China ranks 88 with its boys having a BMI of 23 and 119 for its girls at 22.2.
- Height: Indian teens are among the shortest in the world.India’s boys ranked 180th with an average height of 5.46 feet while girls ranked 182nd with an average height of 5.06 feet.
- Analysis of India’s Situation:
- In developing countries like India, there is a dual burden of overnutrition as well as undernutrition.
- However, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents of both Indian girls and boys is lower when compared to children of developed nations.
- Suggestions:
- There is a need for regular diet and nutrition surveys in India to avert the increase of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents.
