Global Diabetic Crisis: India’s Rise

• A global study published in The Lancet reported over 800 million adults living with diabetes, with over half not receiving treatment.
• India had the highest number of diabetics globally, nearly 100 million more than the numbers revealed in the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-InDiaB study last year.
• The study, conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration and the World Health Organization, used data from over 140 million people (18+ years) from over 1,000 studies in different countries.
• The total number of adults living with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes in the world has surpassed 800 million, over four times the total number in 1990.
• The study highlights widening global inequalities in diabetes, with treatment rates stagnating in many low- and middle-income countries.
• The study suggests that the use of either HbA1C value or fasting glucose might be the reason for the huge numbers.
• Experts urge urgent prevention efforts, including mass media campaigns, enacting more legal provisions to regulate carbs and sugar content in packaged food, and educating women about obesity post-pregnancy and menopause risk.
• The findings highlight the need for more ambitious policies, especially in lower-income regions, that restrict unhealthy foods, make healthy foods affordable, and improve exercise opportunities.