Modi launches fit India movement as the country battles its diabetes capital tag

• PM Narendra Modi launches National Campaign for fitness.
  
• India’s healthcare conditions aren’t getting better any sooner, without a large-scale movement on health.
  
• India isn't on track to achieve any of the nine nutrition goals laid down by WHO by 2025.
  
• Around 65 million people were diagnosed with diabetes in 2016 as opposed to 26 million in 1990.
  

PM Narendra Modi launches National Campaign for fitness.


"We should make fitness our mantra for life,” Modi told while addressing a large crowd of children who put up a grand show ahead of the launch at the Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex.

Modi is also a staunch advocate of Yoga."Yoga is a discipline. Yoga is beyond age, caste, religion, region, and boundaries. Yoga sabka hai aur sab yoga ke hain,” he said on June 21 while celebrating international Yoga day.

The Indian government is also trying to turn Yoga asanas or postures into a sport.

All these initiatives come at a time when a large number of Indians are suffering from lifestyle diseases.


India to miss all of WHO's 9 nutrition goals

According to the 2018 Global Nutrition Report, India isn't on track to achieve any of the nine nutrition goals laid down by WHO including -- reducing adult and childhood obesity, wasting and stunting, diabetes, anaemia in women of reproductive age, and increase exclusive breastfeeding by 2025.

India also holds the dubious distinction of being the diabetes capital of the world.

Around 65 million people were diagnosed with diabetes in 2016 as opposed to 26 million in 1990. As many as 35% of diabetics also suffer from obesity.

The number of overweight adults otherwise also surged to 21% in 2016. The three greatest threats to human health around the world include undernutrition, obesity, and climate change warned a recent study by Lancet.

Indians love to eat well and just won't go on a diet

Few Indians abstain from food to take up healthy habits as well. As per a survey, Indias prefer to 'eat well' over sacrificing food for health. The survey says as few as 33% people believe that being thin is more important than eating well.

Interestingly, 74% of the respondents said they were content with their current weight. However, 57% have tried a diet to lose weight, diet plans of 59% who tried it, failed.