Reasons Diabetes Is Growing In India

Diabetes is a major cause of concern in the Indian subcontinent with an estimated 8.7% diabetic population in the age group of 20 to 70 years. The rising prevalence of diabetes in India is attributed to a combination of factors that include rapid urbanization, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, tobacco use, and increasing life expectancy. Another major cause of the condition is said to be obesity [1]. The increasing numbers of obese people in India is a major contributing factor in the growing numbers of diabetics in India. 

Reasons For Escalation In The Number Of Diabetes Patients In India

Several researches have been done to understand the cause of the increased prevalence of diabetes in India. Some reports suggest the following to be the major reasons[2]:

Increased Insulin Resistance: Insulin resistance is the major known causes of diabetes worldwide. In India, the numbers of people having insulin resistance are found to be extremely high. Researched reports have found that Asians, including Indians, have a greater degree of insulin resistance as compared to Caucasians and other races. 

Low Birth Weight: Studies suggest that low birth weight is a contributor to insulin resistance and it is reported that nearly 20% of newborns in India are born weighing below the suggested weight. This increases their risk of them developing diabetes later in life [3].   

Genetics: Genetic susceptibility appears to play a crucial role in the development of diabetes in Indians, according to reports. However, diabetes type 2 appears to be a multifactorial health condition that is caused by a complex interplay of genetics or inheritance and environment. 

Actions Taken By The Government Of India To Beat Diabetes

The epidemic of diabetes will not come to an end by simply managing the condition. Healthy people, especially the youth, need to be protected from falling prey to the condition. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), with a key focus of reducing the risk factors of non-communicable diseases, has launched the “National Program for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke” (NPCDCS). The main objective of the program is to increase awareness on risk factors of the various non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes; to set up infrastructures to assist people with such conditions; and to carry out opportunistic screening at primary health care levels [5]. 

In response to the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs 2013-2020, Indian adopted the National Action Plan with exclusive national targets and indicators specifically selected to reduce the numbers of the global premature death that were caused due to diabetes and other NCDs, by approximately 25%. India was the first country to do so. 

India’s plan to fight against diabetes and other NCDs include promoting the importance of being physically active, choosing healthy diets, quitting the consumption of tobacco, reducing the harmful use of alcohol, and through universal health coverage [5].

References Link: 

1. https://www.who.int/india/events/world-diabetes-day
2. https://www.japi.org/v2b4d464/why-are-indians-more-prone-to-diabetes#:~:text=Prevalence%20In%20India&text=The%20reasons%20for%20the%20escalation,factors%20particularly%20associated%20with%20urbanization
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22655452/
4. https://www.nhp.gov.in/healthlyliving/ncd2019