This article assesses the gravity of the "double burden of malnutrition" across 21 states of India, through a comparative analysis of traditional and Asian population-specific BMI categorizations for overweight and obesity. This study analyzes data on ever-married women (15-49 years) from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-2, 1998-1999; NFHS-3, 2005-2006). Findings depict that Indian women tilt toward high BMI resulting in a co-existence of under- and overweight populations, which portray a regional pattern. With Asian population-specific cut-offs, 11 states can be classified as "double burden states"; however, following traditional categorization, only 4 states face such dual pressure.
Keywords: BMI cut-off points; double burden of malnutrition; nutrition transition; obesity; overweight; underweight.