Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 7: On the occasion of World Health Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the people of India to embrace healthier lifestyles and combat the growing threat of obesity, which he warned could pose a serious crisis in the years to come.
In a heartfelt message shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, PM Modi stated, “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!”
The Prime Minister also released a video message stressing the age-old wisdom that “health is the ultimate fortune and the ultimate wealth.” He flagged growing concerns around lifestyle diseases and obesity, citing alarming projections that by 2050, over 44 crore Indians could suffer from obesity.
“This is scary. How big a crisis can this be?” he said, urging citizens to act immediately. He proposed a simple yet impactful step to begin the change — reducing daily cooking oil usage by 10%. “This will be a big step towards reducing obesity,” he said.
PM Modi also stressed the importance of regular physical activity, saying, “If we keep ourselves fit, then it will be a big contribution to the journey of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India).”
The Prime Minister, who has regularly spoken out about lifestyle diseases in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme, referred to recent WHO data that paints a concerning picture of obesity trends in the country. He highlighted that one in every eight Indians now faces obesity, with childhood obesity rising fourfold and adult obesity doubling over the past decade.
Emphasising that obesity can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension, he underlined that small lifestyle changes can make a big difference.
In a major push to expand the campaign, PM Modi invited ten prominent personalities to lead by example and inspire others to adopt healthy living. These include J&K CM Omar Abdullah, industrialist Anand Mahindra, actor-politician Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’, Olympic medalists Manu Bhaker and Mirabai Chanu, actors Mohanlal and R Madhavan, singer Shreya Ghoshal, philanthropist and MP Sudha Murthy, and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani.
He encouraged each of them to nominate ten more individuals in an effort to spark a nationwide movement towards wellness.
The Prime Minister’s initiative aims to blend personal health awareness with a broader national goal building a fitter, healthier, and stronger India.