Diabetes in India – Facts and figures of Diabetics patients.

Table of Contents

Did you know?

1 in 11 adults (20-79 years) have diabetes (463 million people).
1 in 2 adults with diabetes are undiagnosed (232 million people).
10% of global health expenditure is spent on diabetes (USD 760 billion).
1 in 6 live births (20 million) is affected by hyperglycemia in pregnancy, 84% of which have gestational diabetes.
3 in 4 (79%) of people with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries.
Over 1.1 million children and adolescents below 20 years have type 1 diabetes.
1 in 13 adults (20-79 years) have impaired glucose tolerance (374 million people).
2 in 3 people with diabetes live in urban areas (310.3 million).

One in six people with diabetes in the world is from India. The numbers place the country among the top 10 states for diabetes, coming in at number two with an estimated 77 million diabetics. China leads the list with over 116 million diabetics. Now, India is home to 77 million diabetics, the second-highest in the world.

10 Questions about Diabetes

This article discusses some basic questions about diabetes and answers the ten most important patient questions about diabetes.

1. What is diabetes?

Diabetes (also “diabetes mellitus”) is a chronic disease of the pancreas, the cause of which is a complete or partial lack of insulin. The hormone insulin is produced in the pancreas and normally regulates the level of sugar in the blood.
After digestion, carbohydrates from the food enter the bloodstream in the form of grape sugar and thus influence the blood sugar level. The glucose then has to be transported into the cells because it is needed there as energy. For the transport into the cell, insulin is required, which acts as a “key” for the “lock” of the cell. Since too little or no insulin is formed in diabetics, the cells cannot absorb the glucose from the blood, and the blood sugar levels are therefore increased. With diabetes, you have to pay special attention to your diet because carbohydrates’ intake affects the blood sugar level.
In the case of diabetes, a distinction is made between type I and type II diabetes. Type II diabetes, the more common form, has too little insulin, while type I diabetes means a complete lack of insulin. Therefore, insulin must always be injected in type I diabetes.

2. How is diabetes diagnosed?

Diabetes is detected by blood or urine tests. The blood sugar level is examined, its normal values on an empty stomach are around 60-100 mg/dl, and two hours after a meal at around 120-140 mg/dl.
If the blood sugar level is higher than these normal values, diabetes is present. According to the current study on adult health in Germany (DEGS1), 7.2% of the population in Germany is diagnosed with diabetes.

3. What are the symptoms of diabetes?

When blood sugar levels are high, the body tries to flush out the excess blood sugar. This requires fluid that is withdrawn from the body so that enough urine can be produced.
This often leads to an increased feeling of thirst in diabetes. Type II diabetes in particular, however, often goes unnoticed for years, as symptoms such as fatigue or weakness only appear gradually.

4. How is diabetes treated?

In type, I diabetes, the hormone insulin has to be injected several times a day. Type II diabetes can often be managed with a healthy lifestyle, especially at the beginning.
Above all, this includes a carbohydrate-conscious diet, avoidance of excess weight, and regular exercise. Depending on the blood sugar level, medication or insulin therapy will be necessary for type II diabetes sooner or later.

5. What do you have to consider when administering insulin?

Insulin is injected using a pen or an insulin pump. Pens are small insulin injection tools that contain insulin-filled cartridges. A pen is about the size of a ballpoint pen and is therefore easy to transport.
When an insulin pump administers insulin, the injection is carried out automatically. The pump is worn on the body and, if programmed in advance, automatically supplies the body with insulin.
There are long-acting insulins that cover the basic requirement independent of food intake and work for up to 24 hours. Short-acting insulins cover the insulin requirement with meals. They work faster and for a shorter time. Which insulin is injected depends on the type of therapy and individual lifestyle habits.

6. Why do you have to measure your blood sugar levels with diabetes?

In the case of diabetes, it is important to make sure that blood sugar levels are close to normal.
By taking regular blood sugar tes,ts you can determine how a person with diabetes reacts to certain things like different foods or illnesses. In this way, blood sugar imbalances such as hypoglycemia or hypoglycemia can be better avoided.

7. How can hypoglycemia or hypoglycemia occur?

With hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), the blood sugar levels drop below 60 mg/dl. This can happen if, for example, you inject too much insulin or if you are doing unusual physical exertion.
As a result, there are cravings for sweets, cold sweats, restlessness, tremors, visual disorders, concentration disorders, palpitations, paleness, aggressiveness, or even loss of consciousness. Hypoglycemia increases the risk of cardiovascular (i.e., heart and vascular) problems in the long term.

Hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar levels) with values above 200 mg/dl occurs after an increased carbohydrate intake or insufficient insulin intake, but can also be caused by stressful situations. The consequences range from loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting to muscle weakness, dry skin, increased urination, and thirst also to unconsciousness.

8. Which diet is suitable for diabetes?

It is not necessary to resort to diet products as a person with diabetes. The energy requirement depends on several factors:

Weight
size
Age
gender
activity

Some foods, like salads, do not affect blood sugar levels at all. Carbohydrates, on the other hand, affect blood sugar levels. Therefore, people with diabetes should pay attention to the number of carbohydrates they are consuming. The amount of carbohydrates on food packaging is often given in bread units (1U = 12g carbohydrates). As a person with diabetes, you should also pay attention to the selection of whole grains, as the fiber in them delays the absorption of carbohydrates.

9. What are the consequences of diabetes?

Diabetes is one of the main risk factors for circulatory disorders and, thus, also for a heart attack. The secondary diseases of diabetes mainly affect the eyes, kidney, and nerve function. Reduced blood flow, triggered by vascular changes, can limit vision.
In addition, there is often increased protein excretion by the kidneys in diabetes, which damages kidney function. Sensory disturbances can occur in the feet and legs due to nerve damage. As a result of these processes, diabetes can even lead to blindness, kidney failure, or amputation of the foot or leg. In addition, diabetes can prevent wounds from healing properly.

10. Why is exercise important in diabetes?

Obesity and inactivity can make insulin less effective. This is why exercise is an important part of treatment. Regular endurance exercise is particularly helpful in diabetes.

Diabetes in United States

34.2 million people have diabetes
That’s about 1 in every 10 people
1 in 5 don’t know they have diabetes
In adults, type 1 diabetes accounts for approximately 5-10% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.
Just over 18,000 youth diagnosed each year in 2014 and 2015
In adults, type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately 90-95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.
More than 6,000 youth diagnosed each year in 2014 and 2015.
1.5 million people 18 years or older diagnosed with diabetes in 2018.
88 million adults – more than 1 in 3 – have prediabetesMore than 8 in 10 adults don’t know they have prediabetes
If you have prediabetes, losing weight by eating healthy and being more active can cut your risk of getting type 2 diabetes in half.

Diabetes in India

Arogya World is a global health organization working to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, heart disease and cancer, through proactive health education and lifestyle change. Today, two out of three deaths in the world are due to NCDs, and they could largely be prevented by avoiding tobacco, increasing physical activity and eating healthy foods.

Diabetes is a huge problem in India.

The prevalence of diabetes increased tenfold, from 1.2% to 12.1%, between 1971 and 2000
It is estimated that 61.3 million people aged 20-79 years live with diabetes in India
(2011 estimates). This number is expected to increase to 101.2 million by 2030.
And, 77.2 million people in India are said to have pre-diabetes.

About 1 million people died from diabetes in India in 2012.

Diabetes affects people all over the country.
Diabetes affects people both in urban and rural India though the impact on
urban India is higher.
It is also becoming a growing problem in the slums of India.
1 out of 4 people living in urban slums of Chennai suffer from diabetes, which is three times higher than the national average of about 7%.

More than 20% of the population in India has at least one chronic disease and more than 10% of the people have more than one.

One-third of non-communicable disease deaths in India involve people under
60 years of age.
The rate of cardiovascular disease mortality in India in the 30-59-year age group
is double that in the U.S.

A most disturbing trend is the shift in age of onset of diabetes to a younger age.

Indians get diabetes on average 10 years earlier than their Western counterparts.
The risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) is two to four times higher in diabetic subjects,
and in Indians, CAD occurs prematurely, i.e., one to two decades earlier than in the West

Lifestyle changes have lead to decreased physical activity, increased consumption of fat, sugar and calories, and higher stress levels, affecting insulin sensitivity and obesity.

86% of adults consume less than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
Many Indians have insufficient physically activity (26.4% among males and 25.6% among females).

Costs of diabetes care are alarmingly high.

The annual cost for India due to diabetes was about $38 billion in 2011.

The annual cost for India due to diabetes was about $38 billion in 2011.
According to the WHO, if one adult in a low-income family has diabetes, “as much as 25% of family income may be devoted to diabetes care.”
According to the World Economic Forum, cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes and mental health conditions will cost India 126 trillion rupees between 2012 and 2030.

Some Facts and Figures of the patients of Diabetes worldwide.

The IDF Diabetes Atlas Ninth edition 2019 provides the latest figures, information, and diabetes projections worldwide.
Approximately 463 million adults (20-79 years) were living with diabetes; by 2045 this will rise to 700 million
The proportion of people with type 2 diabetes is increasing in most countries
79% of adults with diabetes were living in low- and middle-income countries
1 in 5 of the people who are above 65 years old have diabetes
1 in 2 (232 million) people with diabetes were undiagnosed
Diabetes caused 4.2 million deaths
Diabetes caused at least USD 760 billion in health expenditure in 2019 – 10% of total spending on adults
More than 1.1 million children and adolescents are living with type 1 diabetes
More than 20 million live births (1 in 6 live births) are affected by diabetes during pregnancy
374 million people are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

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