Santosh Singhal, MD India is known as the world’s “diabetes capital.” It is an incurable health condition in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin produced. It is classified into several types, the most common type 2 (90-95 per cent). In these cases, the body cannot effectively manage and utilise the insulin supply. While categorising and managing the disease is critical, it is also crucial to understand why the Indian population is at an elevated diabetic risk. This can be partially attributed to the high metabolic load imposed by the population’s westernised lifestyle changes.
Health experts are also investigating why type 2 diabetes strikes people in their 40s and 50s in the West, whereas it strikes Indians much younger.
According to some studies, the onset of type 2 diabetes in India is linked to genetic makeup and poor maternal nutrition. The thrifty phenotype hypothesis backs up this finding. According to another study, Indians have less lean mass, more body fat, and more central fat than white Caucasians. Food preferences high in carbohydrates, oils, and fats, increased use of tobacco and alcohol, obesity, and less importance given to physical wellness are all factors contributing to India’s alarming rise in diabetes cases. Furthermore, a higher percentage of body fat and a higher waist-to-hip ratio for a given body mass index (BMI) suggest that Indians are more prone to diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
India. According to the India Diabetes Study, funded by Eris Lifesciences, newly diagnosed patients had an average age of more than 48 years, a BMI of 27, 63.3 per cents were men and an HBA1c value of 8.1%. Men had more major ASCVD risk factors than women and were thus classified as very high risk (VHR) more frequently than women (63vs. 56 per cent). Over 80% of patients had at least one cholesterol abnormality, and 55% had low HDL-C (High-Density Lipid -Cholesterol) values, indicating a higher risk of developing some form of CVD. According to the study, 42% of patients are at increased risk of hypertension.
In conclusion, given the variety of risk factors that can lead to the onset of type 2 diabetes, it is critical for the public to become more aware and prioritise timely diagnosis and Treatment. Adopting lifestyle changes that can control the onset or impact of the chronic health condition is the most effective way to manage the overall disease burden. The aftermath caused by this condition can lead to more severe health problems.
