Belly buttons explode: Hyderabad India's obesity capital for women

Hyderabad's iconic biryani and high-calorie cuisine maybe amazingly addictive, but it's a recipe for doom for majority city women, who gorge on the delicacies, but won't move a limb. Binge eating without exercise have made Hyderabadi women the most obese in the country. They have overtaken their counterparts in other Indian cities on the BMI index. These shocking stats came after the National Family Health Survey-4 of 766 households comprising 830 women, which revealed 47.9% Hyderabadi women were obese in the 14-49 age-group.
Zainab, a city resident, weighed 165kg on her 24 th birthday before she opted for bariatric surgery at city-based hospital in March this year.She could hardly move and her mammoth weight and short stature made surgical intervention extremely difficult. Now, she weighs 95 kg. Not just Zainab, several women like her can't climb stairs, have high blood sugar levels, feel ashamed to socialize and are sinking into depression. Also, Hyderabadi women have beaten men on the obesity chart. Only 33.7% men surveyed in the city were found obese. Those with a body mass index (BMI) higher than 25 kgm2 are termed overweight.
According to NFHS survey, obesity among women in other cities stands at 40.7% in Kolkata, 34% in Mumbai, 33.6% in Chennai and 33.4% in Bengaluru.
Dr P Arokiasamy of Mumbaibased International Institute for Population Sciences, which conducted NFHS-4, said lack of balanced nutrition, especially in micronutrients also contribute to high obesity in urban areas. “Past health surveys showed improper nutrition was not only found among urban poor, but even among the well-off,'' he said.
“Part of the blame can be pinned on easy access to junk food and sedentary lifestyle. Whether it's ordering tasty , but unhealthy food or getting a cab at one's doorstep without the need to walk, more and more women are falling victim to obesity,“ said Dr V Amar, chief consultant, metabolic & bariatric surgery, Continental Hospitals.
In fact, women in all five top Indian cities (except Kolkata) were obese when compared to men, making weight gain a trend among the fairer sex. This is being attributed to higher concentration of body fat among women on a height-and-weight scale.
Pointing out that fe male hormones and birth control pills can raise fat deposition in women, Dr Amar said, “Total body fat is controlled by gut hormones. Overeating and lack of exercise can influence these hor mones and trigger high fat deposition. If there is genetic ten dency, this influence is even more.“
Another trigger for over-eating is psychological. Depression and anxiety, affects many housewives, said Sujatha Stephen, chief nutritionist, Maxcure Hospitals, Hyderabad.
The consequences are disastrous as obesity is a getaway to diseases like diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, lung disorders and early arthritis. What's worse, there are no effective medication to reduce weight.
“We cannot modify genetic predisposition to obesity, but lifestyle changes, dieting and exercise can help reduce weight. Those morbidly obese can opt for bariatric surgery after conservative methods fail,“ said Dr Hari Kishan Boorugu, consultant physician, Apollo Hospital, Hyderguda.