Man shares how middle class upbringing is responsible for major health issues in India

Many of us struggle with fitness and weight management, often pushing them down our priority list until a health scare forces us to pay attention. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself why health feels secondary in the first place? Is it cultural conditioning, lack of time, or simply not knowing where to start? For many, the mindset that fitness is optional—not essential—comes from years of treating it as a luxury rather than a necessity.


Well, marketing professional Shashank Sharma's post might have a clue for you. "Middle-class homes don’t raise you to be healthy. They raise you to be safe. To be obedient. To be employable. Not to be strong, ambitious, or mindful. We were taught to save money, not save our knees. To protect our reputation, not our posture," writes Shashank on professional networking platform, LinkedIn. The post has been liked by over 6.5k users on the networking platform.


"We wear fatigue like a medal"

Shashank highlights the struggle of a middle class family living in India where health, wellness, mental health and physical fitness takes a backseat.


"Our childhoods were full of lectures on marks, manners, and marriage. But no one told us how to breathe when we’re anxious. No one taught us what real sleep feels like. Or that sugar is a drug. That gut health is real. That skipping breakfast isn’t being busy but being neglected," he writes.


"You eat what’s cooked. You sit where there’s space. You rest only when you’re sick. That’s how we’re raised. Rest is laziness. Exercise is timepass. Health is something you deal with after something goes wrong," he adds.


"We didn’t grow up in homes that believed in prevention. We grew up in homes that feared diagnosis more than disease."


He writes: We wear fatigue like a medal. We talk about acidity like it’s a family member. We think waking up tired is just part of adult life.


The irony is brutal. The same middle class that saves every receipt, every rupee, every old shaadi card forgets to save the body that holds it all together.


We build careers. We raise families. We tick every box that society gave us. But the body we carry through it all? Ignored. Until it screams.


In many middle-class Indian families, health and fitness often take a backseat—not due to ignorance, but largely because of priorities shaped by financial responsibilities, societal expectations, and cultural conditioning. For generations, the focus has been on education, job security, and family duties. As long as a person appears “active” or “not sick,” they are assumed to be healthy. Investing time or money in gyms, fitness gear, or even healthier food is often seen as indulgent or unnecessary. Moreover, there’s a deep-rooted belief that physical work—like household chores or walking to the market—is enough exercise. Mental health is rarely acknowledged, and discussions around nutrition are often limited to home remedies and traditional diets, without deeper understanding of what the body truly needs. Busy work schedules, long commutes, and lack of access to proper fitness infrastructure further add to the problem. Health becomes a concern only when lifestyle diseases like diabetes, blood pressure, or heart problems knock on the door.


Netizens were moved by the honesty and insight of this eye-opening post.


"This resonates so deeply. It’s eye-opening how cultural conditioning shapes our relationship with health—prioritizing survival over thriving. Breaking these cycles starts with awareness, and your post is a powerful step in that direction. Thanks for sharing this perspective," writes one user. "This is so appropriate!!!!! Every single line genuinely makes sense!!!!!," writes another user.


It’s not about negligence—it’s about survival in a system where fitness isn’t taught as a life skill. However, with increasing awareness and changing mindsets, many middle-class Indians are now slowly beginning to re-prioritize health as a core part of well-being.

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