In recent times there has been a major surge in the global prevalence of obesity. In India too, the number of overweight people has increased significantly over the last ten years. Even by conservative estimates, five per cent of the total population in the country is believed to be overweight. It is widely acknowledged that obese persons are at a greater risk of having diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and even arthritis. The present article discusses some of the recent findings in this area.