The new threat to Indian men isn't tobacco
The National Family Health Survey-6 shows sedentary work life, unhealthy food, stress and limited physical activity are shifting the country's disease burden
For decades, public health campaigns aimed at Indian men focused on tobacco. Cigarette, bidi and chewable tobacco were seen as the defining male health risks. But data from NFHS-6, conducted in 2023-24 by the Union ministry of health and family welfare, suggests that a different threat may now be emerging, particularly in urban India: metabolic disease.
According to the survey, 36.3 per cent of men aged 15 and above use some form of tobacco. Yet 20.9 per cent already have high or very high blood sugar levels or are taking medication to control blood sugar, while 22.1 per cent have elevated blood pressure or are on treatment for hypertension. The numbers are even higher in urban areas, where 23.9 per cent of men have high blood sugar and 26.2 per cent have elevated blood pressure.
For public health experts, the figures point to a shift in the country’s disease burden. While tobacco remains a major risk, the growing challenge increasingly appears to be lifestyle-related illnesses linked to diet, inactivity and stress. The trend is visible in other NFHS-6 indicators as well. More than a third of urban men (36.3 per cent) are overweight or obese. Researchers note that obesity, diabetes and hypertension often occur together, creating a cluster of risk factors that can dramatically increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke and kidney problems later in life.
Doctors say the profile of risk has changed significantly from previous generations. Earlier, health concerns were often associated with infectious disease, poor sanitation or tobacco use. Today’s urban professional is more likely to spend long hours sitting at a desk, commuting in traffic, sleeping less and consuming calorie-dense foods while engaging in limited physical activity.
Experts say this shift requires a different approach. Addressing the next wave of disease will require attention to nutrition, physical activity, preventive screening, workplace health and awareness around diabetes and hypertension.
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For decades, public health campaigns aimed at Indian men focused on tobacco. Cigarette, bidi and chewable tobacco were seen as the defining male health risks. But data from NFHS-6, conducted in 2023-24 by the Union ministry of health and family welfare, suggests that a different threat may now be emerging, particularly in urban India: metabolic disease.
According to the survey, 36.3 per cent of men aged 15 and above use some form of tobacco. Yet 20.9 per cent already have high or very high blood sugar levels or are taking medication to control blood sugar, while 22.1 per cent have elevated blood pressure or are on treatment for hypertension. The numbers are even higher in urban areas, where 23.9 per cent of men have high blood sugar and 26.2 per cent have elevated blood pressure.
For public health experts, the figures point to a shift in the country’s disease burden. While tobacco remains a major risk, the growing challenge increasingly appears to be lifestyle-related illnesses linked to diet, inactivity and stress. The trend is visible in other NFHS-6 indicators as well. More than a third of urban men (36.3 per cent) are overweight or obese. Researchers note that obesity, diabetes and hypertension often occur together, creating a cluster of risk factors that can dramatically increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke and kidney problems later in life.
Doctors say the profile of risk has changed significantly from previous generations. Earlier, health concerns were often associated with infectious disease, poor sanitation or tobacco use. Today’s urban professional is more likely to spend long hours sitting at a desk, commuting in traffic, sleeping less and consuming calorie-dense foods while engaging in limited physical activity.
Experts say this shift requires a different approach. Addressing the next wave of disease will require attention to nutrition, physical activity, preventive screening, workplace health and awareness around diabetes and hypertension.
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