Diabetes is fast gaining an epidemic status in India. According to an estimate drawn by the Indian Medical Council of Research in 2014, there are about 77.2 million people in India suffering from pre-diabetes and over 65.1 million diabetes patients. India is second only to China in the number of reported cases of diabetes. By 2030, India is estimated to the diabetes capital of the world.

Despite increasing awareness of diabetes and its life-altering complications, very few people undergo regular screening tests proactively to prevent disease.

The aetiology of diabetes in India is multifactorial and includes genetic factors coupled with environmental influences such as obesity associated with rising living standards, steady urban migration, and lifestyle changes. An upsurge in number of early-onset diabetes cases is also responsible for the development of various diabetic complications due to longer disease duration.

In an analysis of over 49,788 samples tested for Fasting Blood Glucose* at Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, a leading chain of multi-national diagnostics, the following are the findings

Age Group (yrs) Normal   Pre-Diabetes  Diabetes     Total

20 to 30              9214        977              333            10524
30 to 40              7484        1816             1379          10679
40 to 50              5063        2473             2433          9969
50 to 60              3388        2588             3046          9022
60 to 70              2359        2088             2184          6631
70 to 80              1124        986               853           2963

Total                      28632       10928              10228       9788

Out of the 49,788 samples processed between the age group 20 to 80 yrs, over 10,228 samples were found to be positive for Diabetes Mellitus and over 10,928 samples were found to be in a pre-diabetic condition which constitutes high risk group for developing diabetes.

20.54 percent - Diabetes Mellitus | 21.95 percent - Pre-diabetes

In a percent analysis of overall samples, it was observed that there is an increasing trend with progression in age.

Gender  Normal  Pre-Diabetes Diabetes  % of pre-diabetic % of diabetic
Female   17070       5416           4724      27210           19.90               17.36
Male       11562       5512           5504      22578           24.41               24.38

Out of the 49,788 samples, the following are the gender wise break-up:

• 20 percent of females were found to be pre-diabetic and 18 percent were found to be diabetic.

• Over 25 percent of the samples in males were found to be pre-diabetic and another 25% were diabetic which brings to a conclusion that 1 in 2 males are either pre-diabetic or are suffering from diabetes.

An increasing trend is noticed both in male and females with a progression in age. Males are seen at a marginally higher risk for diabetes from the data analysis.

Diabetes mellitus is reaching potentially epidemic proportions in India. The level of morbidity and mortality due to diabetes and its potential complications are enormous, and pose significant healthcare burdens on both families and society. Worryingly, diabetes is now being shown to be associated with a spectrum of complications and to be occurring at a relatively younger age within the country.
Screening for diabetes should begin when you hit 30 to prevent disease.