The National Family Health Survey has consistently documented a sharp rise in overweight and obesity among Indian adults. Among women of reproductive age, the prevalence of obesity has nearly doubled in the past 15 years—from 12.6 per cent in 2005–2006 to 24.0 per cent in 2019–2021. The existing literature highlights a strong association between household economic status and the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. However, the growing burden of overweight and obesity elevates NCD risk even among economically disadvantaged groups. Evidence from developing countries remains limited, partly because NCDs develop gradually and their links with obesity are difficult to establish using cross-sectional data. Drawing on a panel of 24,547 women aged 15–49 years, this study examines the risk of developing NCDs among overweight and obese women in India. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to identify the correlates of NCD onset, and robustness checks were performed to assess how changes in obesity status influenced disease risk. The findings reveal that while wealthier women face a higher overall risk of developing NCDs, this risk is also shaped by the body mass index (BMI) status of women. Importantly, the rich–poor gap in NCD prevalence diminishes once women become overweight or obese. Although much of the existing literature emphasises the role of socio-economic and demographic factors in NCD development, this study suggests that their influence may be substantially offset by lifestyle and health behaviour modifications that help in maintaining a healthy BMI among reproductive-age women.
The impulse that led to the passing of MGNREGA celebrated the spirit of inclusive development. However, the engineering that rendered the spirit behind MGNREGA into functioning machinery requires repairs and unclogging. Unless we recognise both achievements and challenges facing MGNREGA, it will be difficult to repair it, and this omission will continue to haunt both.
For India, agricultural protection is similar to US anxiety on immigration.
Once, I took a group of American students to learn more about the rural parts of India. We spent a couple of weeks in a village, where the students were constantly trailed by giggling children, several of them shouting out questions. So, we decided to hold an assembly at a school where the children could learn about America, with me translating. One of the questions was about the difference between villages in India and those in the US.
Sonalde Desai speaks to us about how the dipping fertility rate is going to impact India’s population, how variations in State fertility rates, primarily between the north and south are going to play out and the future of an ageing India
The early decades of the 21st century reflect tremendous transformation in Indian society due to both economic growth and global challenges. The Gross Domestic Product has grown at the rate of 5–9 per cent resulting in a decline in poverty. Whereas, the India Human Development Survey (IHDS) recorded a sharp fall in the poverty rate from 38.6 per cent in 2004–2005 to 8.5 per cent in 2022–2024 (Desai et al., 2024). Data from the National Sample Survey’s Household Consumption Expenditure Surveys (Government of India, 2024) suggest an even lower poverty rate.
