World Leaders at BRICS Recognise Obesity and Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) as Major Health Threats: Report

The BRICS New Delhi Declaration, adopted at the 18th BRICS Summit in September 2026, has formally recognised obesity and non-communicable diseases as major global public health challenges. Leaders endorsed the BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyle along with a joint roadmap for 2026-2029, placing preventive and promotive healthcare at the centre of the conversation. For India, this is a timely cue to look closely at obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions, and to push harder for healthier lifestyles and earlier medical intervention.

Obesity Is a Critical Metabolic Concern

“From a diabetologist's standpoint, the first correction needed is in how obesity itself is understood. It is not a cosmetic issue but a medical one, closely tied to insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Excess body fat can disturb metabolic processes long before any symptoms appear, and treating it purely as an appearance-related concern only delays proper assessment. Awareness efforts would do better to steer people away from weight-related stigma and toward long-term health,” shares Dr Paras Agarwal, Director - Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolic Clinic, CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon.

The biological link to diabetes is fairly direct: excess visceral fat around internal organs promotes insulin resistance, and as insulin becomes less effective, blood glucose regulation grows harder.

Over time, this can progress in susceptible individuals to prediabetes and then Type 2 diabetes, which is exactly why early attention to weight, activity, and diet matters so much.

Also Read: Are You Obese And Diabetic? Here's How You Can Lose Weight Safely

India’s Obesity Crisis: Why We Need To

India adds its own twist to this picture.

A person can appear slim or fall within a normal BMI and still carry excess abdominal fat or other metabolic risk factors, because BMI alone says nothing about fat distribution, insulin sensitivity, or blood glucose.

Family history, inactivity, dietary habits, and genetic susceptibility all play a part, and appearance simply cannot be used as a stand-in for metabolic health.

The Road To Prevention

Since prediabetes often produces no obvious symptoms, prevention has to start early.

People in the ‘High Risk’ category must get tested and discuss it with healthcare professionals to reduce their risk.

Lifestyle interventions are essential immediately after a high blood glucose diagnosis.

Dr Agarwal emphasises that a practical approach centres on balanced Indian meals built around vegetables, pulses, whole grains and suitable protein.

• Regular activity suited to individual ability
• Less reliance on sugary drinks and calorie-dense food
• Adequate sleep
• Habits people can sustain rather than crash diets, with even modest, clinically guided improvements offering real benefit.

Diabetologists can help identify risk and individualise weight management, but self-prescribed weight-loss medicines or unverified online diets should be avoided, with regular follow-up supporting healthy habits over time. As the message goes: obesity prevention is diabetes prevention.

Also Read: Eating Healthy But Not Losing Weight? Dietitian Explains Why It Happens

Non-communicable Diseases: An Overlooked Risk

“Conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory illness and many cancers share modifiable risk factors: tobacco use, poor diet, inactivity and harmful alcohol use, and quietly erode quality of life, productivity and household finances. This is precisely why BRICS placing NCDs alongside obesity matters,” shares Dr Tushar Tayal, Associate Director - Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon.

Much of the danger lies in silence.

Hypertension, high cholesterol, and early diabetes can all exist without noticeable symptoms, leaving people feeling well while risk quietly builds, which is why routine assessments guided by age and individual risk are so valuable, rather than waiting for symptoms to appear.

Obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and elevated glucose frequently cluster together, and treating any one in isolation rarely addresses the full picture; coordinated preventive care matters more than piecemeal management.

Both hypertension and diabetes are largely manageable with timely diagnosis and consistent treatment, but uncontrolled disease can affect the heart, kidneys, eyes, nerves and blood vessels, making adherence to medication and follow-up essential; stopping treatment without medical advice is genuinely risky.

Reducing NCD risk more broadly means less prolonged sitting, a fibre-rich diet, avoiding tobacco and harmful alcohol, better sleep and stress management, delivered in ways that are realistic and accessible across communities and income groups.

Timely blood pressure, glucose and lipid screening, guided by individual risk, supports early intervention, and none of this belongs to hospitals alone.

Schools, workplaces and primary healthcare centres all have a role, alongside public campaigns in simple, culturally relevant language and healthcare systems built for long-term, affordable follow-up.

Final Word

Obesity must be treated as a metabolic concern in its own right, with early identification and support helping delay or prevent Type 2 diabetes. An internal medicine specialist would add that prevention has to become part of everyday healthcare, because beyond treatment, India needs a stronger preventive approach to obesity and NCDs alike.