The revelation that over 100 million Pakistanis are overweight ought to ring alarm bells across every policymaking corridor in the country. This is not merely a matter of individual health choices; it is a national crisis unfolding in slow motion. The link between obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular illness, and hypertension is well-documented, and these conditions are already stretching our fragile healthcare system to its limits.
We must recognise that this is not an issue to be shrugged off as lifestyle indulgence. The economic consequences are stark: a population plagued with chronic illness cannot be productive, which directly hampers national growth. Rising healthcare costs will only add to the burden, particularly for vulnerable households already struggling to cope with inflation. If the young are unhealthy today, the workforce of tomorrow will be weaker, and less competitive on the global stage. That is not an abstract fear; it is a practical calculation we ignore at our peril.
It is high time the state treated this as a public health emergency. Tackling the crisis requires a two-fold approach: systemic measures and mass awareness. On one hand, we need urban planning that encourages physical activity, regulation of processed food industries, and stronger healthcare interventions for early prevention. On the other hand, awareness campaigns must confront cultural attitudes that normalise sedentary lifestyles and poor diets. Relying solely on individual willpower will achieve little when the environment is stacked against healthier choices.
The urgency of this matter needs to be acknowledged before the crisis deepens further. Pakistan cannot afford to carry the weight—literally—of neglect.