Maharashtra’s junk food ban comes as obesity rises sharply, especially among women
Maharashtra’s junk food ban comes as obesity rises sharply, especially among women
Andhra Pradesh saw obesity among women climb to 47.9% from 36.3%, while Kerala rose to 46.7% from 38.2%
Ishaan Gera
August 03, 2026 / 15:52 IST
Obesity higher among women
- Maharashtra bans junk food near schools due to rising obesity.
- NFHS-6 shows women’s obesity rising faster than men’s.
- Maharashtra women’s obesity rose to 31.1%, men’s to 32.8%.
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Maharashtra’s ban on the sale of junk food around schools comes amid rising obesity in the state, with national survey data showing that women are gaining excess weight at a faster pace than men
According to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6), 31.1 percent of women in Maharashtra are now obese, up from 23.5 percent in NFHS-5. Among men, obesity increased to 32.8 percent from 24.7 percent over the same period
The increase mirrors a broader national trend. Across India, obesity among women rose to 30.7 percent from 24 percent, an increase of 6.7 percentage points. Among men, the prevalence increased to 27.3 percent from 22.9 percent, a rise of 4.4 percentage points, indicating women have experienced a faster increase
Several states recorded even steeper increases than Maharashtra
Andhra Pradesh saw obesity among women climb to 47.9 percent from 36.3 percent, while Kerala rose to 46.7 percent from 38.2 percent. Karnataka recorded an increase to 41.2 percent from 30.2 percent, and West Bengal to 34.6 percent from 22.7 percent
Among men, Andhra Pradesh registered one of the largest increases, with obesity rising to 41.5 percent from 31.1 percent. Gujarat recorded a jump to 29.9 percent from 20 percent, while Maharashtra’s rate increased by 8.1 percentage points to 32.8 percent
Several southern states now report some of the country’s highest obesity levels. More than 45 percent of women were obese in Puducherry (51.3 percent), Lakshadweep (50.1 percent), Andhra Pradesh (47.9 percent), Sikkim (47.5 percent), Kerala (46.7 percent), Goa (45.1 percent) and Punjab (44.7 percent)
At the other end of the spectrum, Meghalaya reported the lowest obesity prevalence among women at 13.8 percent, followed by Jharkhand at 16.9 percent and Nagaland at 17.2 percent. Among men, Meghalaya (15.6 percent), Chhattisgarh (16.1 percent) and Jharkhand (16.8 percent) recorded the lowest rates
Obesity is no longer confined to India’s wealthiest states, with several large states recording rapid increases over 2019-21
Ishaan Gera
first published: Aug 3, 2026 03:52 pm
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Ishaan Gera
