Changing Trends in Prevalence of Diabetes

By 121 News

Chandigarh 17^th June:- India has a dubious distinction of being the 'diabetes capital of the world'. Most of the studies conducted in India from different states have shown that the prevalence of diabetes varies between 10–13 %. However, the recently published ICMR-INDIAB study extending to 51% of the adult population of India with a largest sample size 0f 60000 people and a robust sampling and methodology showed the prevalence of diabetes to be 7.3%. For the first time, the data from the North East states have also been included and has shown the prevalence of diabetes to be 5.9% vs 8.3% in mainland states. This region-wise variation in the prevalence of diabetes has resulted in low prevalence of diabetes overall. The present study also showed the impact of economic transition on the prevalence of diabetes in people with different socio-economic strata. Rich rural and poor urban had a higher prevalence of diabetes than rich urban. This was attributed to increased awareness, greater affordability for health promotion activities and adoption of healthy lifestyle among the rich urbans. However, people of low socio-economic status in urban areas had a higher prevalence of diabetes because of consumption of inexpensive carb-rich diet in an attempt to beat the higher cost of living in urban areas. The similar prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes in most of the urban areas of states suggests that either the prevalence of diabetes is getting stabilized or most of the people with pre diabetes have converted to diabetes. The implications of the study are that these new findings will require revision of global and national data for the prevalence of diabetes need for increasing awareness programme for the rich rurals and gearing up facilities for the treatment of diabetic complications because of increased longevity.