A nationwide study funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and coordinated by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation has found that only a third of individuals with known diabetes in India have good control of diabetes, fewer than half have good control of blood pressure and LDL (bad) cholesterol, and only 7.7 per cent meet all three targets.

The study, comprising a vast sample size of 113, 043 people across 30 states and Union Territories of India, is the first extensive epidemiological study consisting of participants from all across the country. The results of the study have been published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology. 

The study presents for the first time the status of diabetes control in the whole of India based on a nationally representative sample of 5,789 individuals with known diabetes.

The study revealed that 36.3 per cent of the population with diabetes achieved good glycemic control, 48.8 per cent achieved good blood pressure control and 41.5 per cent achieved LDL cholesterol control. Higher education, male sex, rural residence and shorter duration of diabetes were associated with a better achievement of the combined goals of diabetes treatment.

16.7 per cent of the population reported using a blood glucose monitor to check their blood sugars at home. Only 36.9 per cent of those on insulin performed any self-monitoring of blood glucose, notwithstanding the guidelines that all such individuals should self-monitor their glucose levels regularly.

The findings of the study imply that the achievement of treatment goals and adoption of healthy behaviours remains suboptimal in India. The findings underscore the need for better control of glycemia, blood pressure and lipid parameters, to reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications in Indians. These results can help both the Central and state government formulate policies to improve diabetes care at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels in India.