Daijiworld Media Network – Margao
Margao, Jun 3: Nearly half of Goa's adult population is now overweight or obese, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) 2023-24, highlighting a growing burden of lifestyle-related diseases in the state.
The survey, released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, found that 43.6 per cent of men and 45.1 per cent of women in Goa have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 kg/m² or above. The figures are significantly higher than the national averages of 27.3 per cent for men and 30.7 per cent for women.
The latest findings show a sharp increase from NFHS-5 (2019-21), when 32.6 per cent of men and 36.1 per cent of women in Goa were classified as overweight or obese.
The survey also revealed alarming trends in diabetes-related indicators. Around 32.1 per cent of men and 27.5 per cent of women in Goa were found to have elevated blood sugar levels or were taking medication to control diabetes, far exceeding the national averages of 20.9 per cent and 17.8 per cent respectively.
Goa recorded the highest prevalence of elevated blood sugar among men in the country, narrowly ahead of Kerala. Compared to the previous survey, the proportion of men with high blood sugar increased by eight percentage points, while the figure for women rose by nearly seven percentage points.
Hypertension remains another major health concern in the state. The survey found that 27.5 per cent of men and 26.2 per cent of women either had elevated blood pressure or were undergoing treatment for the condition, both above the national averages.
The report also highlighted a rise in caesarean deliveries, with 46.2 per cent of births in Goa taking place through C-sections, compared to the national average of 27.2 per cent. In private healthcare facilities, the rate climbed to 69.7 per cent.
Despite these concerns, Goa continued to perform strongly in maternal and child health indicators. Institutional deliveries stood at 99.6 per cent, while 92.1 per cent of mothers underwent antenatal check-ups during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Full vaccination coverage among children aged 12 to 23 months improved to 93.8 per cent, while child malnutrition indicators showed significant improvement. The percentage of stunted children under five years declined from 25.8 per cent in NFHS-5 to 19.4 per cent in NFHS-6.
The survey also pointed to Goa's ageing population, with residents aged 60 years and above accounting for 17.2 per cent of the state's population, up from 14.2 per cent in the previous survey.
On social indicators, the proportion of ever-married women reporting spousal violence increased to 11.3 per cent from 8.3 per cent recorded earlier. However, alcohol consumption among men declined sharply, falling from 36.8 per cent to 22.4 per cent.
Goa's total fertility rate was recorded at 1.6 children per woman, remaining below the replacement level and reflecting changing demographic trends in the state.