A UNICEF Child Nutrition Report says obesity has overtaken underweight among school-age children worldwide, with about 188 million children living with obesity. India is part of this surge . UNICEF projects that approximately 440 million Indian children could be affected by obesity by 2030. On Independence Day 2025, the Prime Minister warned that obesity is becoming a silent crisis and urged the adoption of healthier habits .
Childhood obesity raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, and poorer mental health in adolescence, with higher adult risks of cardiovascular disease, several cancers, and premature mortality. Global analyses confirm steep rises since 1990 across children and adolescents, reinforcing the long-term burden India will face without decisive action.
Dr. Sajili Mehta (MBBS, MD, DNB), Consultant Paediatric Endocrinology, Fellowship in Paediatric Indocrinology, Surya Mother and Child Super Speciality Hospital shares the hidden cost of childhood obesity and why heavier kids have weaker bones.
While considerable emphasis is regularly placed on the emergence and normalisation of a sedentary lifestyle and overconsumption of processed foods, a key aspect often overlooked in this debate is bone health. Many assume heavier children have stronger bones, yet research shows a paradox. Obese children often have larger bones with lower quality, making fractures more likely from low-energy falls.
Mechanisms involve inflammatory adipokines and cytokines that disrupt bone formation, bone marrow fat infiltration that suppresses osteoblast function, disrupted insulin and IGF-1 signaling, precocious puberty with accelerated but less effective mineral accrual, vitamin D deficiency, and reduced weight-bearing activity.
It expresses itself as repetitive wrist and ankle fractures to musculoskeletal discomfort, reduced recovery from injury, and increased lifetime osteoporosis risk.
Prevention begins with food surroundings and everyday habits. Make minimally processed foods, sufficient calcium and vitamin D, active outdoor play and organized weight-bearing activity, adequate sleep, and limited screen time your priorities.
Families and schools must restrict ultra-processed snack foods and sweet beverages, monitor routine growth regularly, and refer children with accelerated weight gain or endocrine disorders for guidance. Policies that restrict junk-food advertising and enhance the availability of healthy food help families do so.
If a child experiences bone pain, repeated sprains or fractures after minor falls, bowed legs, slow healing from injuries, or ongoing fatigue, schedule an appointment with a pediatrician or pediatric endocrinologist for assessment and, if necessary, a bone health check.
