OBESITY
TREATMENT WITH ANIMESH KUMAR(12)
LEVELS OF
PREVENTION
INTRODUCTION
Obesity is a chronic disease
characterized by excessive fat
accumulation that presents a risk to
health.
• Defined by WHO as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m².
• It is a major risk factor for non-
communicable diseases such as
diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and
certain cancers.
• The epidemic is rising rapidly in both
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF
OBESITY
Worldwide, obesity has nearly tripled since
1975.
• More than 1.9 billion adults were
overweight in 2016; of these, over 650
million were obese.
• India ranks among the top five countries
with the highest obesity rates in children.
• Urbanization, lifestyle changes, and
economic development have contributed to
rising trends.
DETERMINANTS OF
OBESITY
Behavioral: Sedentary lifestyle,
consumption of energy-dense foods.
Environmental: Poor access to
healthy food, lack of recreational
spaces.
Biological: Genetics, hormonal
imbalances, gut microbiome.
Socioeconomic: Education, income,
cultural beliefs.
LEVELS OF PREVENTION
- OVERVIEW
Primordial Prevention: Preventing the
emergence of risk factors.
Primary Prevention: Reducing risk
and preventing the onset of disease.
Secondary Prevention: Early
detection and intervention.
Prevention: Reducing complications
and disability from established disease.
PRIMORDIAL
PREVENTION
Individual Level: Educating children
on healthy habits, promoting active
play.
Family Level: Encouraging home-
cooked meals, limiting screen time.
Community Level: Health-promoting
urban design, taxation on sugary
drinks, regulating advertisements
targeting children.
PRIMARY PREVENTION
• Individual Level: Adopting healthy
diets, maintaining physical activity,
self-monitoring weight.
• Family Level: Joint participation in
physical activities, establishing routines
for healthy eating.
• Community Level: Nutrition labeling
laws, workplace wellness programs,
school-based physical education.
SECONDARY
PREVENTION
Individual Level: Regular screening for
BMI, waist-hip ratio, glucose levels.
Family Level: Awareness of family
medical history, support during lifestyle
interventions.
Community Level: Screening
programs in PHCs, mobile health units,
integration of obesity metrics in routine
health check-ups.
TERTIARY PREVENTION
Individual Level: Medical therapy (e.g.
orlistat), surgical interventions (bariatric
surgery), personalized diet plans.
Family Level: Mental health support,
relapse prevention strategies,
supportive home environment.
Community Level: Rehabilitation
centers, structured weight management
programs, peer support groups.
INTEGRATED AND
MULTISECTORAL
APPROACH
• Collaboration between healthcare
providers, nutritionists, psychologists,
and social workers.
• Interventions must be sustained and
culturally appropriate.
• Use of technology: mobile apps,
telehealth, wearables.
• Public-private partnerships and policy
integration.
CHALLENGES IN
OBESITY PREVENTION
1. Cultural food preferences and
traditional practices.
2. Limited accessibility to healthy food
and physical activity spaces.
3. Stigma and underreporting of
obesity in developing nations.
4. Resource constraints in public
health systems.
RECENT STRATEGIES
AND SUCCESS STORIES
I. India’s Fit India Movement:
Promoting fitness awareness at all
levels.
II. Eat Right India campaign by FSSAI:
Encouraging healthy eating habits.
III. WHO’s Global Action Plan on
Physical Activity (2018–2030):
Targeting a 15% reduction in
inactivity.
IV. Urban innovations: Cycle tracks,
ROLE OF PSM IN
OBESITY PREVENTION
o Community diagnosis and screening
programs.
o Health promotion and behavioral
change communication.
o Capacity building of community
health workers.
o Advocacy and policy formulation
based on epidemiological evidence.
CONCLUSION
Obesity is a multifactorial and
preventable condition.
Effective prevention requires efforts at
individual, family, and community levels.
PSM plays a critical role in surveillance,
prevention, and management.
Integrated approaches and sustained
public health strategies are key.
REFERENCES
1. World Health Organization (WHO)
Reports
2. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC)
3. Indian Journal of Public Health
4. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
Government of India
5. Park’s Textbook Of Community
Medicine Ed.26th
