Further, as many as 7 crore adults in India were categorised as obese in 2022, according to a study in The Lancet last year that looked at global trends in obesity. Of these, about 4.4 crore were women and 2.6 crore were men. Among children and teenagers, 52 lakh girls and 73 lakh boys were found to be obese.

Amid the surging rates of obesity, private as well as government-run hospitals in Delhi-NCR have either already set up or are in the process of establishing one-stop obesity management clinics.

Most recently, Fortis and Apollo—which till now focused mainly on surgical options such as bariatric procedures for obesity—have targeted multidisciplinary obesity care.

While Apollo Hospitals has submitted a proposal to the authorities regarding establishment of a comprehensive obesity care centre, Fortis Hospital launched a dedicated Obesity Clinic this May.

“Patients benefit when they receive customised, evidence-based care rather than one-size-fits-all advice,” Dr Anoop Misra, Chairman of Fortis Centre for Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol, told ThePrint.

From Apollo, Dr Arun Prasad, Senior Consultant, Gastrointestinal, Bariatric and Robotic Surgery, who spearheaded the obesity centre proposal, said that “a truly effective obesity centre must take a multi-pronged approach”.

“With obesity now not only a global concern but also a growing national crisis, we’re working to formalise and structure our approach within the hospital system,” he said.

Max Super Speciality Hospital in Ghaziabad’s Vaishali is already offering obesity management that begins with a detailed body composition scan of the patient.

A body fat analyser machine, housed in the clinical nutritionist’s room, measures fat percentage, muscle mass, BMI and metabolic age, laying the groundwork for personalised treatment.

A multidisciplinary team of bariatric surgeons, pulmonologists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists and physiotherapists, then works together to formulate an obesity management strategy that begins with diet and advances to surgery only when necessary.

Some government hospitals in Delhi already have dedicated services for obesity management.

At the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), a dedicated obesity and metabolic clinic was started in the medicine department in 2017, while Safdarjung Hospital operates a Bariatric and Metabolic Clinic once a week, catering to patients with weight and metabolic concerns. 

Lok Nayak Hospital was among the early movers, starting a dedicated obesity outpatient department in 2010. Focused on serving patients from economically weaker sections, the clinic provides comprehensive weight management services, including surgical interventions.

Dr Naval K. Vikram, professor in the department of medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, emphasised the urgent need for hospitals to prioritise structured obesity care.

“I think it’s high time and the need of the hour for every hospital to have a dedicated obesity care clinic,” he said, speaking to ThePrint.

He suggested that just as hospitals have departments of medicine and surgery, they should include specialised obesity management services in their outpatient offerings, stressing that early intervention can help prevent a range of health complications associated with obesity.

“As a physician, I cannot manage it (obesity) alone. A nutritionist can’t handle it alone either,” he added, pointing out that the condition requires a team-based, multi-specialty approach that can be effectively delivered only in a hospital setting.

The doctors also noted that greater awareness about obesity has fuelled the demand for treatment but access to it is mostly restricted to urban, high-income populations because of the high cost of obesity care.

‘It’s not just about cutting calories’ 

Obesity care clinics at hospitals promise comprehensive programmes and continuity of care, something that regular outpatient visits often lack.

“When done ethically, these programmes offer value by integrating medical, nutritional, exercise and behavioural support,” said Misra.

Patients first undergo a thorough assessment with high-end diagnostic tools and are classified based on severity of obesity and related comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnoea or fatty liver. Depending on the outcome, they receive required interventions, all under one roof.

“When a patient first walks in, there’s much more to assess than just weight,” Dr Mugdha Tapdiya, Director of Internal Medicine at Fortis Hospital, Delhi, told ThePrint.

“We begin with a detailed history, including anthropometric measurements—like height, weight, waist and hip circumference—and then move on to body composition analysis (BCA).”

BCA breaks down the body’s fat and muscle distribution, organ weight, water content, and highlights areas of concern.

“It helps us understand if the person has high visceral fat—stored around internal organs, which is far more harmful than fat under the skin,” she explained. “It also gives us a sense of their muscle mass, which is critical for metabolism.”

This is followed by blood tests and radiological investigations such as ECG, along with hormonal assessment. “We look for underlying issues like insulin resistance, often a precursor to diabetes—or thyroid imbalances, PCOS, or other metabolic conditions that silently contribute to weight gain,” said the doctor.

Patients are also assessed for early indicators of chronic lifestyle diseases, such as waist-hip and waist-height ratios. Their mental well-being, eating behaviours, and past weight loss attempts are also evaluated to identify underlying triggers.

Based on this comprehensive assessment, they are referred to relevant specialists—such as endocrinologists, psychologists or bariatric surgeons—depending on individual needs.

“It’s not just about cutting calories,” said Tapdiya. “We treat obesity as a medical condition—one that involves the whole body and mind.”