Punjabis are known for their love for food and healthy appetite. however, what is not known is that the next generation of Punjabis, especially in urban areas, are turning obese.
The fact came to light when in a survey conducted by the Edusports School of Health and fitness, a private agency, the state earned a dubious distinction of having the highest number of obese children in its urban schools.
The survey, which was conducted in 54 cities across the country in more than 100 schools, covered around 49,000 children in the age group of seven to 17 years. The survey report has pointed out that one fourth of children in the urban schools have higher body mass index (BMI) to make them fall in the category of obese.
The national average of overweight school is around 20 per cent.
Most of the overweight schoolkids found overweight are from northern states — as Punjab is followed by states like Haryana, Delhi and UP — than other parts of the country.
The survey revealed that many factors, including unhealthy food habits, sedentary lifestyle, inability to play sports, dependence on the Internet and videogames for entertainment, is making the next generation of Punjab unhealthy and inactive.
The survey pointed out that children in the non-metros performed better in various fitness parameters compared to their counterparts in metros. It was found that every second child covered under the survey had poor flexibility levels and body strength, making them unsuitable for most sports.