At least 21 per cent of schoolchildren in Mumbai in the age group 11 to 15 years are overweight, while 16 per cent are obese, says a survey. These heavyweight findings are from a study conducted by a private hospital with a total of 9,000 children from different schools across Mumbai. Another shocking revelation it made, is that over 59 per cent of the children from this age group spend more than two hours a day glued to their smart-phones/TVs/laptops etc.

The study shows how physical inactivity is causing obesity in these children. It was conducted by Aastha Healthcare from Mulund, in 15 high schools located across Mumbai — both in the Central and Western suburbs as well as in south Mumbai. The 9,000 children included 4,806 boys and 4,194 girls studying in stds VI to IX.