2 in 5 Children in India Do Not Have a Healthy BMI

MUMBAI:
Sportz Village’s 13th Annual Health Survey (AHS) has revealed alarming gaps in the fitness and well-being of school-going children across India.

Conducted annually since 2010, the survey aims to analyze and evaluate the health and fitness levels of children in schools across India.

The 13th edition of the survey, powered by EduSports, assessed 1,16,650 children aged 7 to 17 years across 85 locations, highlighting the urgent need for structured physical education programs in schools.

The EAST REGION has emerged with the second-best performance showcasing an overall fitness in a total of 56.40% of children, showing notable strengths in Upper body strength (54%), Lower body strength (46%), and Flexibility (77%).

The survey highlights that a higher percentage of children from the NORTH REGION have shown extremely poor performance, recording the lowest percentages in three out of seven fitness parameters. The region performed the weakest in Lower body strength (35%), Abdominal strength (81%), and Anaerobic capacity (58%), underscoring significant areas for improvement in these key fitness indicators.

The performance of children from the SOUTH REGION has been a mixed bag. A higher percentage of children have performed well in the parameters of BMI (60.12%), Aerobic capacity (31%), Anaerobic capacity (62%), and Abdominal strength (87%), while showing areas of improvement in Upper body strength and Flexibility.

WEST REGION has performed the best when compared to all other regions with higher percentage of children performing exceptionally well in the parameters of Upper body strength (58%) Lower body strength (60%), Anaerobic capacity (81%), Abdominal strength (93%), Aerobic capacity (52%) & Flexibility (81%).

Key findings of the survey denote:
· 2 in 5 children have an unhealthy BMI.
· 3 in 5 children lack adequate Lower body strength.
· 1 in 3 children have insufficient Flexibility.
· 3 in 5 children do not meet the required Aerobic capacity.
· 1 in 5 children have inadequate Abdominal or core strength.
· 2 in 5 children lack sufficient Anaerobic capacity.
· 3 in 5 children do not have adequate Upper body strength.
· A higher proportion of girls (62.23%) maintain a healthy BMI compared to boys (57.09%).
· Girls outperformed boys in Flexibility, Abdominal strength, Anaerobic capacity, and Upper body strength, whereas boys performed well in the parameters of Aerobic capacity and Lower body strength

AHS 2025 key findings
Moreover, a higher percentage of children in private schools have better Upper body strength levels (47%), compared to the children from government schools (37%) as well as Abdominal strength levels (87%) compared to the children in government schools (84%). In comparison, a higher percentage of children from government schools have fared better in BMI (61.64%), Lower body strength (48%), Aerobic capacity (37%), Anaerobic capacity (75%) & Flexibility (75%), demonstrating better overall fitness in children from the latter.

The survey also highlights the positive correlation between the frequency of P.E. classes and overall fitness levels. It found that children who attend more than two P.E. periods per week have better BMI levels, upper body strength and flexibility compared to those with fewer P.E. classes, reinforcing the importance of structured sports programs in schools.

Impact of frequency of P.E. classes on overall fitness
Saumil Majmudar, Co-Founder, CEO & Managing Director, Sportz Village, emphasized the importance of balancing academics and sports, stating: “Children naturally love to play, yet sports often take a backseat to academics. The 13th AHS findings highlight the urgent need to strike a balance between the two. School leaders must prioritize investments in physical education and sports curricula—not just for the long-term health and well-being of children, but to foster a strong sporting culture that can propel India toward excellence on the global stage.”

Parminder Gill, Co-Founder & Head of Foundation, Sportz Village, highlighted the need for policy support and CSR-backed initiatives, adding: “The improved fitness levels among government school children is encouraging, with far-reaching benefits. Sports not only enhance academic performance but also strengthen social-emotional skills, foster inclusion, and promote gender equity. To build on this progress, it is essential to implement strong policies and allocate resources that ensure access to high-quality sports programs, supported by corporates, CSR initiatives, philanthropists, and the government.”