India is a home to 101 million people with diabetes while 136 million in the country are struggling with prediabetes, says a new study published in Lancet. This means almost 11.4% of the country’s population is grappling with the metabolic disorder.
The largest epidemiological study on diabetes and chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in India was funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Govt. of India. The study covers all 28 states, two union territories, and the national capital region of Delhi. The survey covered a sample size of 1,13,043 individuals. The results of the study are published in the globally renowned medical journal The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.
At 26.4%, Goa has the highest prevalence of diabetes while Uttar Pradesh despite being the most populous state has the lowest prevalence at 4.8%. The study noted that urban regions had higher rates of all metabolic NCDs than rural areas, with the exception of prediabetes. The nation-wide study observed that 315 million people had high blood pressure, 254 million had generalized obesity, while 351 million had abdominal obesity. Additionally, 213 million people had hypercholesterolaemia or high cholesterol levels.
“It is quite evident from the study results that India has a substantial population at risk of cardiovascular disease and other long-term organ complications due to metabolic NCDs,” says Dr R.S.Dhaliwal, Scientist ‘G’ & Head, Non-communicable Disease Division, Indian Council of Medical Research.
“The findings of this study are very significant as they provide robust estimates of NCDs for the nation. Compared to earlier estimates, India currently has a substantially greater prevalence of metabolic NCDs. In India, the diabetes epidemic is in transition, with some states having already reached their peak rates while others are just getting started. The study also demonstrates that despite the fact that all metabolic NCDs are more common in urban regions, rural areas have significantly greater prevalence rates than that reported previously,” says Dr. R.M.Anjana, Managing Director, Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre (DMDSC) and President, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF).
