Authors
Lucky Singh, Neha Shri, Shashi Kala Saroj, Jaya Singh Kshatri, Sanghamitra Pati
Published in
Scientific reports. Jun 18, 2026. Epub Jun 18, 2026.
Abstract
Overweight/obesity is an emerging public health concern among India's tribal populations, yet evidence on its distribution and determinants remains limited. This study examined the prevalence, clustering, and socioeconomic inequalities in overweight/obesity among tribal adults in Odisha. Data from the Odisha Tribal Family and Health Survey (OTFHS, 2022-23) covering 17,976 adults aged ≥ 18 years from 8465 households across 13 tribal-dominated districts were analysed. Overweight/obesity was defined using Asian BMI cut-offs (≥ 23 kg/m2). Multilevel logistic regression assessed variations at individual, household, PSU, and district levels, while Wagstaff decomposition identified contributors to wealth-based inequality. Overall, 20.2% of tribal adults were overweight/obese, and 9.4% of households had all adult members overweight/obese. Higher clustering was observed in Balasore, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Deogarh districts, whereas Koraput and Mayurbhanj districts reported lower proportions. Household-level factors accounted for the largest variation in overweight/obesity (19%), followed by PSUs (9%) and districts (4%). Overweight/obesity was concentrated among wealthier households. Being married, male, non-PVTG, and residing in urban-dominated areas significantly contributed to wealth-related inequality. Household environments and changing dietary patterns play a major role in overweight/obesity among tribal adults in Odisha, indicating a growing risk of non-communicable diseases with the erosion of traditional lifestyles.
PMID:
42315927
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 19 Jun 2026.
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