Zerodha’s Nithin Kamath drops bombshell on India’s obesity crisis: ‘Around 8.3 crore children to be obese in 2035’

Zerodha founder and chief executive officer Nithin Kamath has triggered a conversation on social media after sharing alarming numbers on rising obesity cases. Citing data from the country’s Economic Survey and warning that the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods could worsen the situation, Kamath stated that "23–24% of Indians were already overweight or obese in 2019, nearly double the around 10% recorded two decades earlier".

In a LinkedIn post shared just a day after World Obesity Day, Kamath wrote, “Yesterday was World Obesity Day. I hate to be the guy who complains, but the numbers are scary,” while highlighting alarming trends in obesity rates among adults and children in the country.

Childhood obesity on the rise

The post also pointed to a sharp rise in childhood obesity. According to the data cited by Kamath, "around 3.3 crore children were obese in 2020, and the number is projected to reach 8.3 crore by 2035".

He attributed much of this increase to the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), whose sales surged from $0.9 billion ( ₹7,500 crore) to $38 billion ( ₹3.16 lakh crore) over the years, during which obesity rates nearly doubled.

Kamath further noted that UPF sales grew by more than 150% between 2009 and 2023, indicating that consumption is accelerating rather than slowing. “Even children under 5 aren't spared. Excess weight prevalence jumped from 2.1% to 3.4% in just 5 years (2015-2021),” Kamath wrote.

Focus on lifestyle changes

Sharing lifestyle suggestions, Kamath urged people to focus on healthier habits. “Try to eat homemade food and get quality ingredients. The more meals you eat outside, the more garbage that goes into your body,” he wrote.

He also advised people to question the source and quality of food, walk for at least 30 minutes daily, sleep seven to eight hours, and reduce children’s exposure to packaged snacks and screen time.

GLP-1 drugs may reshape healthcare

Kamath also reiterated his stance on a possible shift in India’s healthcare landscape, noting that several pharmaceutical companies are preparing to launch GLP-1 drugs in the country once patents expire. These medicines are part of the global weight-loss drug trend associated with treatments like Ozempic.

Reflecting on the development, Kamath said, “On a different note, I just read that major Indian pharma companies are preparing to launch GLP-1 drugs in India after the patent expires this month… I’m wondering about what the first and second-order effects will be.”

Nithin Kamath had earlier emphasised that weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro could reshape not only lifestyle habits but also entire industries. “People will eat less, smoke less, buy less, and live longer. They’ll also trade less? Insurance premiums have to change, and annuity payouts in pensions will have to be readjusted,” he wrote, highlighting the wide-ranging second-order effects these medicines could trigger.

Kamath also pointed out that much of the world — including India — is still trying to understand the long-term implications of such drugs. “What we don't know is more than what we know about these drugs at this point,” he had said.