Obesity Management in South Asian Context

Obesity is a chronic relapsing disease with rising prevalence in South Asia because of the changing economic and social landscape and transition in lifestyle. The issues in obesity management are unique to South Asians because of the characteristic ‘thin-fat’ phenotype, diet with high carbohydrate and low protein contents, issues with availability, affordability and approval status of various anti-obesity drugs and various social and cultural aspects unique to this population. In this article, we have reviewed literature sourced from India and South Asia pertaining to obesity and addressed the steps for a comprehensive and streamlined approach for the management of obesity in this part of the world.