India Tops Global Diabetes Charts, Urgent Need For Expanded Care: Lancet Report
Understanding the Diabetes Epidemic in India
According to the latest report from The Lancet, India ranked as the country with the highest number of diabetics worldwide in 2022. The report, collaboratively drafted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), highlights that over a quarter of the global 828 million diabetes cases are found in India, with approximately 212 million affected individuals. This staggering statistic shows that 23.7% of India’s population was living with diabetes in 2022.
The Gap in Diabetes Treatment
Despite the increasing awareness, the report reveals a significant treatment gap. Nearly 62% of diabetics in India were not receiving any form of treatment. This places approximately 133 million people at risk for further complications due to untreated diabetes. Compared to China, a nation with similar demographics and a diabetes prevalence of 148 million, the difference is stark as 78 million Chinese diabetics remained untreated.
Trends and Challenges
The data for this comprehensive global analysis comes from over 1,108 population-based studies which include 141 million adults across various countries. It showcases the first-ever global analysis aiming to understand both the prevalence and treatment trends of diabetes worldwide. Over the past three decades, India’s diabetes prevalence has surged remarkably:
- In 1990, 11.9% of women and 11.3% of men had diabetes.
- By 2022, the numbers increased to 23.7% for women and 21.4% for men.
Despite a modest improvement in treatment coverage, there remains much work ahead. Women’s treatment coverage moved from 21.6% to 27.8% and men’s from 25.3% to 29.3% in the given time span, indicating a slow pace of development in healthcare provision related to diabetes.
The Definition and Types of Diabetes
For purposes of this data, diabetes is defined by either a Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) level of 7 mmol/L or higher or an HbA1c of 6.5% or more. However, the NCD-RisC report doesn’t differentiate between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, though most cases are believed to be type 2, especially among adults.
Global Diabetes Surge and Its Implications
The report also notes a global surge in diabetes, having quadrupled since 1990, with over 800 million adults now affected. An estimated 445 million people aged 30 and above were untreated in 2022, with this figure representing a 3.5-fold increase since 1990. Majid Ezzati, study co-author from Imperial College London, underscores that untreated diabetes is particularly rampant in low- and middle-income countries, which includes India. Here, younger populations are at risk of long-term complications such as:
- Heart Disease
- Kidney Damage
- Premature Death
Call for Action: Expanded Access to Diabetes Care
These findings highlight an urgent need for expanded access to diabetes care and comprehensive treatment plans. Improving healthcare infrastructure and fostering public health initiatives will be crucial. Policymakers, medical professionals, and communities need to collaborate to tackle this health crisis, which is both a medical and socio-economic challenge.
With the exponential rise in diabetes cases, particularly in a country like India where healthcare resources are stretched, there’s a pressing need to initiate awareness campaigns, ensure affordable medication, and facilitate lifestyle changes among the population. Only then can India change its current trajectory and provide its vast diabetic population with a healthier future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the increasing prevalence of diabetes in India, coupled with the substantial treatment gap, signifies a public health crisis that demands immediate attention. As the Lancet report delineates, the unique challenges India faces—particularly untreated diabetes—necessitate concerted efforts in research, healthcare policy, and individual lifestyle changes to curb this mounting epidemic. Addressing these concerns is vital to ensure healthier generations ahead and diminish the looming threat of untreated diabetes complications.