Over 12,000 people join a walkathon organised nationwide to take the pledge against obesity

Over 10 lakh respond to the public service campaign and take the ‘Orange Pledge’ to combat Obesity

INDIA, 26 NOVEMBER, 2019 (GPN): As part of its commitment to the Fit India Movement, VLCC today organised a nation-wide Walkathon which attracted participation of over 12,000 members of local communities across 70 cities pan-India. The walkathon was the culmination of its month long public service campaign ‘Take the Orange Pledge : Stand Up India’ Anti-Obesity Drive, aimed at creating awareness about the need to live an active and healthy lifestyle.

The flagship event of the nation-wide Walkathon was held at Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi where over 1,500 people gathered to take the ‘Orange Pledge’, committing to lead a more active and healthier lifestyle and participated in the Walkathon, flagged of by Shri Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.

Also present on the occasion were Dr. Santanu Sen, President, Indian Medical Association; Mrs. Vandana Luthra, Founder & Co-Chairperson, VLCC Group; senior officials of the Sports Authority of India and the Fit India Mission.

Speaking at the event, Vandana Luthra, Founder & Co-Chairperson, VLCC Group said, “This year’s Anti-Obesity campaign ‘Stand Up India’, seeks to create awareness about the pitfalls of leading a sedentary lifestyle and dangers of prolonged sitting, urging people to be more active. Studies have clearly shown that people who sit for long hours at a stretch every day are at an increased risk of becoming over-weight or obese and more prone to diabetes, heart disease, cancer and shorter life spans, even if they exercise regularly.”

“I also take this opportunity to thank the Fit India Mission for so readily supporting our endeavour and on behalf of VLCC I can commit that  this initiative has our full and proactive year-round participation across all the 120 cities in India that we have our VLCC wellness centres and skill development institutes,” Mrs. Luthra added.

VLCC kick-started its month-long campaign on November 2 and within 3 weeks of the launch, over 10 lakh people have already signed up to take the pledge online at  www.orangepledge.com.

“I have always felt individuals can be responsible for their own well-being only when they have the awareness about how to lead a healthy lifestyle. This was our motivation for launching the annual Anti-Obesity Drive initiative 19 years ago and it is now observed in over 150 cities in the 14 countries that we operate our Wellness & Beauty Centres in, with the active participation of local communities, the medical fraternity, local administrations and the media,” Mrs. Luthra said.

Dangers posed by Obesity

The incidence of Obesity and Overweight, like in the rest of the world, is a growing problem in India. It is fast turning into a public health challenge. As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) India 2015-16¹, incidence of obesity amongst men has doubled in ten years, from 9.3% in the 2005-6 NFHS-3 survey to 18.9%, while amongst women it has grown from 12.6% to 20.6%.

Another even more alarming statistic is that India has the second highest number of obese children in the world. Over 15 million children in India are affected by overweight or obesity and it is increasingly becoming the root cause of health issues amongst children.

While overweight and obesity and their related health issues are preventable, India’s curative healthcare delivery infrastructure is increasingly getting burdened with the strain of managing lifestyle related illnesses, including obesity and overweight and their related medical problems, whereas it would be far better deployed to take care of life threatening and communicable diseases.

The good news is that overweight and obesity, as well as their related noncommunicable diseases, are largely preventable. WHO in its 2018 report on Global Obesity² states that supportive environments and communities are fundamental in shaping people’s choices, by making the choice of healthier foods and regular physical activity the easiest choice (the choice that is the most accessible, available and affordable), and therefore preventing overweight and obesity.

If India’s curative healthcare delivery system is to be more gainfully deployed, it is critical that mass awareness be created amongst individuals about the importance of investing in preventive health care and leading a more active lifestyle. ENDS