Diabetes mellitus is a life-style disease affecting 537 million people and causing 6.7 million deaths every year globally. There are about 74 million diabetic patients in India, and it is expected to rise to 125 million by 2045. The prevalence of diabetes in India is estimated to be 8.7% whereas that in Kerala is 13%. A local survey conducted in 2013 revealed that the prevalence of diabetes among people above the age of 30 years in Neyyatinkara taluk was 27.11%. The control of diabetes remains suboptimal in India in spite of overall improvement in the health care system over the last couple of decades. A recent survey conducted across 21 districts in the country has revealed that as many as 17% of diabetes patients suffer from retinopathy, a complication that affects eye.
Why Indians in general and Keralites in particular are prone for diabetes mellitus ?
The answer is loud and clear if you look at the weight patten of people in the state. As per the family survey conducted by Ministry of Health and Family welfare, 38% of women and 36.5% of men in Kerala are either overweight or obese. The survey further stated that 50.6% women in Thiruvananthapuram district are either overweight or obese. No wonder diabetes occurrence is high in the state capital when we consider the fact that obesity is the most important environmental factor and driving force behind diabetes risk.
Recent data suggests that youth (aged between 18 and 30) in Kerala are more inclined to get diabetes and over a quarter of them are showing clinical features of insulin resistance. As a matter of fact, they are already showing bodily changes associated with diabetes and it is mainly due to obesity, family history and sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy dietary pattern.
Annual spend for diabetes in India is pegged at 1.5 lakh crore, which is about 4.7 times the Union government’s total allocation on health and most of which is being utilised in the management of complications. The same figure for overweight and obesity is 2.8 lakh crore. So it is very important to address both these lifestyle disorders which not only affect the life quality but also dent the country’s economy.
The way forward..
Community level interventions with awareness campaign involving governmental and non-governmental organisations, campaign using social media, digital and print media, adding healthy living and mindful eating in the school curriculum are some of the long term measures that our policy makers should be contemplating.
The core of such campaign should revolve around promotion of physical activity and lower calorie and fibre rich diet.