Mumbai: Rising obesity in children is a matter of grave concern and efforts are being intensified to prevent it, Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar said on Friday.

Parents must take the issue seriously, he said at a function here in which he was chief guest.

"In recent times, we are witnessing a noticeable increase in obesity among children The state's public health department is intensifying efforts to identify and prevent childhood obesity. These initiatives include screening camps and awareness campaigns that will now be implemented more effectively," he said.

"Contributing factors include changing lifestyles, increased consumption of junk and fast food, and lack of physical activity. Earlier, children actively participated in various outdoor games. Today, we see a decline in such activities, replaced by mobile and video games. This shift is a significant reason for childhood obesity. Parents must remain particularly vigilant in this regard," the minister said.

The public health department is undertaking several initiatives to prevent obesity, including parental education, school health check-up campaigns, nutrition guidance, and programmes that highlight the importance of diet and exercise, he added.

The minister was speaking at the third global obesity conference jointly organised by Generation X Foundation and SRTC Child Hospital in Mumbai.