According to an Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR)-backed study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 11.4%, or 101 million people in India, have diabetes. The study is one of the largest studies on lifestyle markers and was conducted to determine the burden of non-communicable diseases.

The findings of the study showed that India has a prevalence of metabolic disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, central obesity, abdominal fat, and hypercholesterolemia. It was also suggested that the burden of diabetes is likely to increase over the next five years, especially in rural areas and states where the prevalence of diabetes is currently low.

The study was conducted by Dr. Mohan’s Center for Diabetes Specialties in collaboration with ICMR and included 113,000 people from 31 states. The results of the study showed that 15.3%, or 136 million people, have prediabetes, while 39.5% of the population has central obesity. The study also showed that the prevalence of generalized obesity, hypertension, and high cholesterol was 28.6%, 35.5%, and 24%, respectively.

When these numbers were segregated based on the urban and rural populations, it was seen that 40% of the people residing in urban areas had high abdominal obesity in comparison to 23% in rural areas. It was also seen that urban residents were significantly younger but had a higher BMI, waist circumference, and diastolic blood pressure in comparison to rural residents.

The prevalence of diabetes was 16.4% in urban areas, compared to 8.9% in rural areas. Furthermore, it was seen that the prevalence of hypertension was 40.7% in urban India in comparison to 33% in rural India.

(Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/health-wellness/more-indians-getting-diabetes-belly-fat-cholesterol-high-bp-8653224/lite/ )