Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairman, Apollo Hospitals, Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya, Medical Doctor, Writer, and Health and Social Sector Policy Adviser, Dr. Anoop Misra, Chairman, Fortis CDOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences, moderated by Ramya Kannan, Chief of Bureau, Tamil Nadu, The Hindu, on the second day of The Hindu Huddle 2025, May 10, 2025 in Bangalore. Image source: K. Murali Kumar
The explosive popularity of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) drugs, used to address weight loss, diabetes and obesity, such as Ozempic and Munjaro, is useful for limited people and will not address the obesity or diabetes crisis in the Indian seat, which is the Anoop Misra seat at the Fortis Center.
He explained that these drugs are not new drugs and have been around for nearly two decades. However, early versions of these drugs have limited benefits to “weight loss”. Some of these drugs can effectively help lose weight up to 20%, but are still only suitable for people who are “very obese” and resistant to diet and exercise-based regimens, a highly acclaimed diabetes scientist, Dr. Misra, has decades of research experience.
In the convened panel discussing the challenges of noncommunicable diseases in India, labeled as the “Trojan Horse” of Indian health care, the discussionist – Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairman of Apollo Hospital; Dr. Chandrakant, Dr. Lahariya, Policy Consultant for Health and Social Sector and Dr. Misra – agrees to the sedentary lifestyle, the excessive consumption of high-fat foods and the causes of sweets as they are the cause of the invasion of the Trojan Horse.
Dr Reddy said the prevalence of obesity is growing, and there are concerns that these trends continue to exist, a responsible “population dividend”, or the surplus of young people (will promote responsibility for India’s economic future). “We want people to leave hospital beds,” she stressed.
Governments and public health agencies can play a role in dissuading “two kinds of white people” (salt and sugar), whose over-consuming is a problem, but Dr. Laharya warns that for many Indian poor, sugar usually does not meet their daily caloric needs. He learned that salt is an integral part of Indian staples and Indians, on average twice as recommended by the World Health Organization. That is to say, he suggested that a large tax may not be recommended, but rather, a more obvious warning of harmful health effects in packaged foods should be given.
Dr. Misra said that three months should not be followed when she is unwilling to follow healthy fashion. He believes it is healthier to adjust your regular diet to reduce calories and increase protein content. “The so-called gluten-free diet is not beneficial to spend three times. I always recommend a low-cost diet.” “There is well-studied that in some cases cutting 15 kg can cut diabetes.”
While the challenge of diabetes is significant, Dr. Laharya said India is also struggling to cope with the “mental health” crisis.
The prevalence of some form of mental health challenges is about 12% (almost diabetes) and serious mental illness is about 2%. “It’s time for public health agencies to develop a systematic response,” he added.
Although India is a developing country, it has managed to develop a health screening system that is “comparable” to developed countries. “It certainly can be improved, and having multiple options is one tenth of the cost of the West,” Dr. Reddy said.
Sami-Sabinsa Group proposes Hindu 2025
Co-drivers: Karnataka Government, Telangana Government
Assistant Partners: ONGC, Presidential University, TAFE, Akshayakalpa Organic
Energy Partner: Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
Real Estate Partner: Casa Grande
Knowledge Partner: Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
National Partners: Meghalaya Tourism and Haryana Government
Luxury Car Partner: Toyota
Broadcasting Partner: Radio City
Gift partner: Anand Prakash
Broadcasting Partner: Times Now
Outdoor Media Partner: Inderpost India
publishing – May 10, 2025-6:58 IST
