Obesity in India: How 'pot belly' went from status symbol to silent killer

India’s obesity crisis is surging - and the humble pot belly may be a bigger villain than it seems.

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In literature, it quietly signalled comfort or complacency; in films, it became a shorthand for the lazy official, gluttonous uncle, or a corrupt policeman. Cartoons exaggerated it to mock politicians. In rural settings, it was once considered a status symbol - a sign that "this man eats well".

But what was once dismissed or even celebrated is now raising alarm bells. The obesity crisis in India is ballooning - and the seemingly harmless pot belly may be a far bigger villain than we think.

India had the second-highest number of overweight or obese adults in 2021, with 180 million affected - behind only China. A new Lancet study warns this number could soar to 450 million by 2050, nearly a third of the country's projected population.

Globally, more than half of all adults and a third of children and adolescents are expected to face the same fate.