Schools to set up ‘W Zones’ to track obesity, metabolic risks among students
Jaipur: Schools across Rajasthan will soon set up dedicated “W Zones” to monitor students’ weight, height and waist measurements as part of a state-wide effort to identify obesity and metabolic health risks at an early stage.
The initiative, being taken up in collaboration with the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) and Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), will use school-based measurements to flag children who may need timely intervention through existing child and adolescent health services.
The move comes as Rajasthan expands screening for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including fatty liver disease. According to health department officials, more than 3.9 crore people were screened for fatty liver disease across the state during 2025-26 and 2026-27.
The scale of school screening is also growing. In 2025-26, around 2.61 crore people were screened, with 31 lakh found suspicious for possible health risks. In 2026-27, screening has so far covered 1.3 crore people, of whom 17.4 lakh were found suspicious, officials said.
For schools, the proposed W Zones will provide a mechanism to track measurements and identify children requiring further assessment. Health teams will then be able to link vulnerable students with existing healthcare services.
Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Gayatri Rathore said fatty liver screening has been integrated into the state’s NCD system under Mission Liver Smile, with a referral mechanism for early identification, diagnostic testing and timely treatment.
At the next level of care, fatty liver clinics are operational in all 63 district hospitals. These clinics provide fatty liver testing, counselling and referral services every Tuesday and Friday.
Image Source: https://paahjournal.com/articles/10.5334/paah.92
