Obesity has risen to be a major public health problem. It has been projected that half of the world’s population will be obese or overweight by 2035. India has witnessed a significant increase in childhood obesity rates in recent years with an expected annual increase in childhood obesity of 9.1% . Based on World Obesity Atlas 2023, India’s global preparedness ranking is 99/183.

Effects of obesity are not only physical, but it also causes chronic health conditions, imposes a financial burden as well as reduces work productivity.
Health condition associated with obesity includes heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, and high blood pressure with a loss in life expectancy of nearly 4 years. Obesity causes economic burden on the community with both direct (36%) and indirect financial costs (64%). In India, the total economic cost per capita income was US$21 in 2019 with an expected increase to US$54 in 2030.

Another important reason to address obesity is that there is a vicious cycle between obesity and global warming mainly due to urbanisation and technological advancement which has offered more exposure to marketing of processed food which in turn leads to obesity.

In this regard, PSGIMSR has planned to address the grievous issue by inauguration of pearl child and diabetes reversal program. This program focuses to prevent obesity and related lifestyle diseases at individual and community level by health camps, public private partnerships and community participation.

The strategy of the programme is to build awareness, provide health checkup, monitor progress and generate local data for future research and policy making.

The coordinators of this program are Dr.A.Jayavardhana, Professor and HOD, Department of Paediatrics, PSG IMS&R, Dr.G.Rajendiran, Professor and HOD, Department of Cardiology, PSG IMS&R and Dr.R.Senthilkumar, Department of Endocrinology..

The program was inaugurated by Shri Kranthi Kumar Pati. IAS- District Collector, Coimbatore.

Shri. R Balamurali, Chief educational officer, Coimbatore and Sarita Jadav, National Programme Officer, UNESCO were also present at the event.

A CME was conducted following the program for school children and teachers with about 200 school students where health awareness talks regarding obesity and diabetes was given following the inauguration.