India faces dual burden of rising obesity and persistent underweight rates

India's latest health survey reveals a troubling double burden of malnutrition, with both underweight and overweight conditions increasing simultaneously. The proportion of women and men with a normal BMI has declined significantly across the country. Below-normal BMI levels have risen in multiple states, while overweight and obesity have spread even more widely. Urban areas are particularly affected, recording higher rates of both underweight and overweight among men and women. The findings highlight that India's nutrition challenge is no longer limited to food scarcity but now equally involves excess weight gain.