The Deccan Chronicle 08.12.2010
TN turns third most obese state in countryChennai, Dec. 7: A plump or chubby child is not “cute” or healthy as people, especially children, of Tamil Nadu seem to be more prone to obesity than most Indians. The southern state’s rapid urbanisation and affluence has made it the third-most obese state in the country.
While 19.8 per cent of males and 24.4 per cent of females are overweight or obese in Tamil Nadu, Chennai studies have revealed that 33 per cent of children from “upmarket” schools and 10 per cent from Corporation schools are overweight, and 4 to 8 per cent of them are obese.
Obesity surgeon from Apollo hospitals, Dr Ravindran Kumeran said, “We ought to stop measuring obesity as per American BMI standards. While a Body-Mass Index of 25 is ‘normal weight’ for a Caucasian, an Indian with the same BMI is considered overweight. A BMI of 28 and more would put us in the “obese” category,” he explains, pointing out that rice-eating Tamilians culturally tend to perceive “plump” as “beautiful”, and take pride in having fat children.
