New Delhi, Feb 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday invited 10 prominent personalities to join the national movement against obesity and promote awareness about healthy food consumption, aligning with his Fit India initiative.

Among those nominated were Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, businessman Anand Mahindra, actor-turned-politician Dinesh Lal Yadav aka Nirahua, Olympic medalists Manu Bhaker and Mirabai Chanu, actors Mohanlal and R Madhavan, singer Shreya Ghoshal, Rajya Sabha MP and philanthropist Sudha Murthy, and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani.

PM Modi urged these personalities to further nominate 10 individuals each, amplifying the movement's reach and impact.

Taking to X, the Prime Minister stated, "As mentioned in yesterday's Mann Ki Baat, I would like to nominate the following people to help strengthen the fight against obesity and spread awareness on reducing edible oil consumption in food. I also request them to nominate ten people each so that our movement gets bigger! Collectively, let us make India fitter and healthier."

In his monthly radio program, 'Mann Ki Baat' on Sunday, PM Modi lauded India's rapid progress toward becoming a global sporting powerhouse and stressed the importance of leading a healthy life.

During the address, he also highlighted a growing health concern -- obesity. Referring to discussions at the National Games' opening ceremony in Dehradun, he emphasised the urgent need to address India's rising obesity crisis.

Citing World Health Organization data, he warned that one in every eight people in India is affected by obesity, with cases having doubled in recent years. More alarmingly, childhood obesity has increased fourfold.

He pointed out that excessive weight is linked to numerous health complications, including heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. However, he reassured that small yet meaningful lifestyle changes could help tackle the issue.

To further this initiative, he invited Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, boxer Nikhat Zareen, and renowned cardiologist Dr Devi Shetty to share their insights on combating obesity in the radio programme.

The Prime Minister urged citizens to embrace healthier eating habits, particularly by reducing excessive oil consumption. He emphasised that making informed dietary choices is not merely a personal decision but a collective responsibility toward family and society.

"Using less oil in food and dealing with obesity is not just a personal choice but also our responsibility towards the family. Excessive use of oil in food can cause many diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension," he said.

"By making small changes in our food habits, we can make our future stronger, fitter, and disease-free. Therefore, without delay, we must increase our efforts in this direction and implement them in our lives. We can all do this together in a very playful and effective way," he concluded.

(IANS)

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