He said the problem was not limited to people with particular lifestyle choices, noting that even individuals who identify as pure vegetarians or do not smoke or consume alcohol can develop metabolic disorders…reports Asian Lite News Desk
India is facing a growing metabolic health challenge as changing dietary habits, rising consumption of processed foods, sedentary lifestyles and increasing stress take a toll on people across age groups, a health expert has warned.
Dr Kalapala, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Director of the Center for Obesity and Metabolic Therapy at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG Hospitals), said obesity should no longer be viewed simply as a weight-related problem, but as a complex metabolic disease that can affect multiple organs.
He pointed to a major shift in dietary patterns, with heavily processed foods containing high levels of carbohydrates, unhealthy fats and refined sugars increasingly common in both urban and rural markets.
“The processed food itself will increase cravings because of delayed satiety,” said Dr Kalapala, who is also Vice Chair of American Bariatric Endoscopy and a Fellow of American, European and Japanese Endoscopy Societies.
“Once you consume these foods, which have high carbs, high fats, and that too bad fats with no proteins, this will take a toll on the metabolic health of the body, leading to weight gain, fatty liver, diabetes, and other systemic involvement.”
He said the problem was not limited to people with particular lifestyle choices, noting that even individuals who identify as pure vegetarians or do not smoke or consume alcohol can develop metabolic disorders.
“Because of this food change, sedentary lifestyle, and widespread stress, it leads to metabolic changes, mainly fatty liver,” he explained.
“The liver, when it contains fat, remains silent until detected through ultrasound or liver function tests. By the time a person knows, the liver is already damaged.”
The expert also highlighted the role of stress in worsening unhealthy eating patterns. He said modern stress can influence behaviour through the gut-brain axis, increasing cravings and food consumption while reducing the motivation or ability to remain physically active.
“Stress is something which will precipitate and make people crave more and eat more,” he said.
The concerns extend to children and younger people, with Dr Kalapala pointing to statistics from the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Family Health Survey studies that indicate childhood obesity rates of 15 to 18 per cent in India.
He said the factors contributing to childhood obesity could begin even before birth. According to the doctor, maternal weight during pregnancy can influence the risk of obesity in children.
“If the mother is overweight during pregnancy, the same thing transmits to the fetus, and then the child who is born—from then itself childhood obesity starts,” he said.
He also linked the problem among children to academic pressures and limited opportunities for physical activity, including a lack of school playgrounds. These factors, he said, can contribute to children entering their teenage years with significant metabolic changes already developing.
The warning highlights how India’s changing food environment and lifestyles are reshaping the country’s metabolic health landscape. While obesity is often associated primarily with body weight, Dr Kalapala stressed that its consequences can extend to conditions such as fatty liver and diabetes.
With processed foods becoming increasingly prominent and physical activity declining for many people, the expert’s comments underline the importance of looking at metabolic health as a wider issue rather than focusing only on obesity itself.
