Number of diabetes patients in India climbs to 101M, sees 44% rise in 4 years: Study

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - India has seen a jump of around 44% in diabetes cases from 70 million patients in 2019 to 101 million this year, research showed, according to local media.

The study, released by the journal Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology on Thursday, is considered the first comprehensive assessment of non-communicable disease prevalence across all states in India, the New-Delhi-based daily Times of India reported.

The current number of diabetes patients accounts for 11.4% of the nation's population.

The research also showed that around 136 million individuals, 15.3% of the population, were identified as having pre-diabetes.

The provinces of Goa, Puducherry, and Kerala have been identified with the highest prevalence of diabetes, with rates of 26.4%, 26.3%, and 25.5%, respectively, surpassing the national average of 11.4%.

However, the study cautions about an impending surge in diabetes cases in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Arunachal Pradesh, which currently have lower prevalence rates.

The study's lead author, Dr. Ranjit Mohan Anjana, who serves as head of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, noted that states like Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Chandigarh exhibit a lower number of pre-diabetes cases compared to diabetes cases, indicating some stability.

During the study, researchers conducted screenings on over 110,000 individuals residing in both rural and urban areas on Oct. 18, 2008-Dec. 17, 2020.

The 2019 survey revealed that there were around 70 million people in India diagnosed with diabetes. Dr. Mohan said they included 31 provinces and union territories, and the weighted prevalence reflected the actual situation on the ground.