World Health Day: PM Modi urges nation to fight obesity, calls fitness key to Viksit Bharat

On the occasion of World Health Day on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to embrace healthier lifestyles and take collective steps towards an obesity-free India.

He highlighted the importance of personal fitness as a crucial contribution toward the nation’s development vision — Viksit Bharat.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi shared, "On World Health Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to building a healthier world. Our Government will keep focusing on healthcare and invest in different aspects of people's well-being. Good health is the foundation of every thriving society!"

Obesity a Looming Crisis, Warns PM in Video Message

On World Health Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to building a healthier world. Our Government will keep focusing on healthcare and invest in different aspects of people’s well-being. Good health is the foundation of every thriving society! pic.twitter.com/2XEpVmPza9

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 7, 2025

In a video message posted on the platform, the Prime Minister reiterated the age-old saying, “health is the ultimate fortune and the ultimate wealth,” while raising concern over India’s rising obesity problem.

“You all know that today, our lifestyle is becoming a big threat to our health. Recently, a report has come on the problem of obesity. This report says that by 2050, more than 44 crore Indians will suffer from obesity. This is scary. How big a crisis can this be?” he said.

A Social Responsibility to Cut Oil and Eat Right

PM Modi called for collective action, urging citizens to adopt healthier eating habits and consider these changes not just as personal decisions but as social responsibilities.

“I want to take a promise from you today that we all should reduce our cooking oil by 10 per cent. This will be a big step towards reducing obesity,” he suggested.

Daily Exercise Key to National Fitness Goal

He also advocated for daily physical activity, emphasizing its role in personal and national well-being.

“Apart from this, we have to make exercise a part of our life. If we keep ourselves fit, then it will be a big contribution to the journey of a Viksit Bharat,” he added.

PM Modi has consistently spoken out against lifestyle-related ailments and the obesity crisis. In a recent episode of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, he praised India’s achievements in sports and underscored the need for a healthy lifestyle.

Startling WHO Data Shared

Citing data from the World Health Organization (WHO), he warned, “One in every eight people in India is affected by obesity,” noting that the prevalence has doubled in recent years, with childhood obesity rising fourfold.

He stressed that obesity can lead to severe health complications like heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension, but added that small lifestyle changes can help prevent these outcomes.

Celebrity-Led Awareness Drive Launched

In a bid to further the message, PM Modi invited ten prominent personalities to join a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about obesity and encourage healthy eating.

The individuals included Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, industrialist Anand Mahindra, actor-politician Dinesh Lal Yadav alias Nirahua, Olympic medalists Manu Bhaker and Mirabai Chanu, actors Mohanlal and R. Madhavan, singer Shreya Ghoshal, philanthropist and Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murthy, and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani.

He encouraged each of them to nominate ten more individuals to amplify the movement's reach and societal impact.

(With IANS inputs)