Obesity
Obesity in India is best measured at the waist, not on the bathroom scale. A simple tape measure catches risk that weight alone can miss.
Medically reviewed by the RIIMS medical team · Last updated: June 2026
Go to hospital now
- Sudden chest pain or breathlessness
- Loud snoring with witnessed pauses in breathing and daytime collapse or extreme sleepiness (possible severe sleep apnoea)
See a doctor soon (not an emergency)
- Waist circumference or BMI crossing into the at-risk range on a routine check
- New joint pain limiting daily activity
- Breathlessness on mild exertion that is new
How is obesity actually measured in India?
The single most useful number for an Indian adult is not weight or BMI, it is waist circumference: 90 cm or more in men, 80 cm or more in women. This threshold is consistent across every major Indian clinical framework and needs nothing more than a measuring tape, unlike BMI, which has been redefined twice and is a less reliable single number for the Indian body type, where fat gathers around the organs even at a modest weight. The 2009 Indian consensus statement set the obesity threshold at a BMI of 25 or more; a 2025 revision lowered that threshold to above 23, reflecting evidence that Indians face metabolic risk at a lower BMI than Western populations. Because these two thresholds differ, it matters which one your report is using; this page uses the 2025 threshold of BMI above 23, paired with waist circumference, rather than BMI alone. What treatment can realistically achieve matters just as much as how obesity is defined. A weight loss of 3 to 5% of body weight produces a meaningful improvement in triglycerides and blood sugar; losing 5 to 10% adds a real improvement in blood pressure and cholesterol. No plan can promise an exact number of kilograms, results vary by person, but even a modest, sustained loss changes your numbers in ways that matter.
Symptoms to watch for
- Waist circumference at or above 90 cm (men) or 80 cm (women)
- BMI above 23 (using the 2025 Indian threshold)
- Breathlessness on ordinary exertion
- Joint pain, especially in the knees
- Snoring or disturbed sleep
- Often found alongside high blood sugar, blood pressure or cholesterol
When to consult a doctor
If your waist measures 90 cm or more (men) or 80 cm or more (women), or your BMI is above 23, it is worth a conversation with a doctor, even if you feel well. Obesity-related risk often shows up in blood tests before it shows up in symptoms.
Sources
- Revised definition of obesity in Asian Indians living in India (PubMed)
- Consensus statement for diagnosis of obesity, abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome for Asian Indians, Misra et al 2009 (PubMed)
- 2013 AHA/ACC/TOS guideline for the management of overweight and obesity in adults (Circulation)