The Indian pot belly – once a badge of prosperity, indulgence and aging respectability – has long been a target of satire and social commentary.

In literature, it quietly signalled comfort or complacency; in films, it became a shorthand for the lazy official, gluttonous uncle, or a corrupt policeman. Cartoons exaggerated it to mock politicians. In rural settings, it was once considered a status symbol – a sign that “this man eats well”.

But what was once dismissed or even celebrated is now raising alarm bells. The obesity crisis in India is ballooning – and the seemingly harmless pot belly may be a far bigger villain than we think.

India had the second-highest number of overweight or obese adults in 2021, with 180 million affected – behind only China. A new Lancet study warns this number could soar to 450 million by 2050, nearly a third of the country’s projected population.

Globally, more than half of all adults and a third of children and adolescents are expected to face the same fate.

At the heart of this issue in India lies the pot belly, or in medical terms, abdominal obesity.

This form of obesity refers to the accumulation of excess fat around the belly and doctors say it’s more than a cosmetic concern. As far back as the 1990s, studies showed a clear link between belly fat and chronic conditions like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.