India Home to 63 Million Diabetics


Madhya Pradesh (2.9 percent), Assam (3.7 percent), Chhattisgarh (3.9 percent), Haryana (4 percent), Jharkhand (4.6 percent), Uttarakhand (5.7 percent) and Uttar Pradesh (5.9 percent) recorded a relatively lower incidence of diabetes.

In terms of hypertension, Andhra Pradesh (13.3 percent), Odisha (9 percent), Chhattisgarh (8.4 percent) and Gujarat (6.7 percent) recorded the highest prevalence while Assam and Rajasthan (1.4 percent), Kerala (2.4 percent), Bihar (2.7 percent), Madhya Pradesh (2.8 percent) and Uttar Pradesh (3.6 percent) recorded low prevalence.

The average age at the beginning of diabetes among Indians was 46 years with their average body mass index being 26.5, said a recent 'DiabCare study' conducted by Novo Nordisk.  About 31.3 percent of the people with diabetes were hypertensive. While, risk factors showed 57 percent of those surveyed did not exercise at all. Approximately 38 percent had a family history of diabetes.

International Diabetes Federation (IDF) lately said almost 44 lakh Indians in their most productive years (20 to 79 years) aren't aware that they are diabetic. In 2011 diabetes killed 10 lakh Indians. The report also revealed that diabetes affects more people in rural India (34 million) than prosperous urban India (28 million).

The ministry has also introduced a diabetes screening programme in 21 states with a target to check 150 million people in 100 districts for diabetes and hypertension.

Also Read: India Suffers with Low Awareness about Diabetes