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NFHS-6 Reports Obesity Up 6.7% in Women, Diabetes Rising in AP, Kerala, Tamil Nadu

Target:UPSC GS-IMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
30 May 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:Obesity Women: 24% → 30.7%Obesity Men: 22.9% → 27.3%Diabetes Women: 13.5% → 17.8%Diabetes Men: 15.6% → 20.9%C-Section Telangana: 62.2%C-Section National: 27.2%
Bodies:Ministry of Health and Family WelfareInternational Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)World Health Organization (WHO)
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.NFHS-6 shows obesity in women (15-49 yrs) rose from 24% to 30.7%, and diabetes prevalence increased significantly.

2.Southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu identified as hotspots for high C-section deliveries, obesity, and diabetes.

3.The survey, conducted by MoHFW & IIPS, Mumbai, provides district-level evidence for health policy, linking lifestyle diseases to maternal health outcomes.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The NFHS-6 reveals a sharp rise in obesity and diabetes, especially among women, with southern states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu emerging as hotspots. The survey provides critical data for UPSC aspirants on public health challenges and policy planning.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Obesity (Women)NFHS-5: 24% → NFHS-6: 30.7%
Diabetes (Men)NFHS-5: 15.6% → NFHS-6: 20.9%
C-Section (Telangana)62.2% deliveries
C-Section (National)27.2% (from 21.5%)
Households Surveyed6.79 lakh

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Obesity (Women): NFHS-5: 24% → NFHS-6: 30.7%
  • ›Diabetes (Men): NFHS-5: 15.6% → NFHS-6: 20.9%
  • ›Target this Data: Obesity in women rose from 24% (NFHS-5) to 30.7% (NFHS-6).
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai.
  • ›Target this Linkage: The two-way causal relationship between C-section deliveries and metabolic conditions (obesity/diabetes).

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which institute served as the nodal agency for conducting the National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6) as mentioned in the article?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements based on the NFHS-6 findings reported in the article:

1. The prevalence of obesity among women aged 15-49 years increased from 24% in NFHS-5 to 30.7% in NFHS-6.

2. The southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu have emerged as hotspots for overweight and obese adults.

3. The national rate of all births delivered by Caesarean-section stood at 27.2% in NFHS-6, up from 21.5% in the previous survey.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to NFHS-6 data cited in the article, what percentage of deliveries in Telangana were conducted by Caesarean-section?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary significance of the NFHS-6 data on rising obesity and diabetes, as highlighted in the article?

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