India has much higher burden of non-communicable diseases: ICMR study

New Delhi: India has a much higher burden of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, obesity and dyslipidemia, according to a first-of-its-kind comprehensive nationwide study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Madras Diabetes Research Foundation.

The researchers at ICMR conducted a cross-sectional, population-based survey of adults aged 20 and above, with a large sample size of 113,043 individuals in which 33,537 people were from urban areas and 79,506 were rural residents across the country between 18 October 2008 and 17 December 2020.

The study revealed the national prevalence of diabetes is 11.4%, prediabetes 15.3%, hypertension 35.5%, generalized obesity 28.6%, abdominal obesity 39.5% and hypercholesterolemia 24% and high LDL cholesterol at 20.9%. The results of the study are to be published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.

The ICMR study estimates that in 2021 in India, there were 101 million people with diabetes and 136 million people with pre-diabetes, 315 million had high blood pressure, 254 million had generalized obesity, and 351 million had abdominal obesity. Additionally, 213 million people had hypercholesterolemia and 185 million had high LDL cholesterol.

It also identified regional and state-level variations in the prevalence of these NCDs across the nation.

The state with the highest prevalence of diabetes is Goa with 26.4% while Uttar Pradesh is the lowest with 4.8%. Sikkim showed 31.3% prevalence of pre-diabetes with Mizoram indicating the lowest prevalence 6.8%. Punjab showed hypertension prevalence of 51.8% while Meghalaya showed 24.3%. Generalized obesity was found maximum in Puducherry with the prevalence of 53.3% and on the other hand Jharkhand has 11.6%. Similarly, Kerala showed 52.1% prevalence of high IDL cholesterol while Jharkhand revealed 3.2%.

Author of the study, Dr.R.M.Anjana, managing director, Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre said, “The findings of this study are very significant as they provide robust estimates of NCDs for the nation. Compared to earlier estimates, India currently has a substantially greater prevalence of metabolic NCDs. In India, the diabetes epidemic is in transition, with some states having already reached their peak rates while others are just getting started. The study also demonstrates that, despite the fact that all metabolic NCDs are more common in urban regions, rural areas have significantly greater prevalence rates than that reported previously”.

Dr R S Dhaliwal, scientist ‘G’ & Head, Non-communicable Disease Division, Indian Council of Medical Research, said that, “It is quite evident from the study results that India has a substantial population at risk of cardiovascular disease and other long-term organ complications due to metabolic NCDs.

Dr V Mohan, chairman, Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre and Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, said, “Our study results have multiple implications for the planning and provision of health care in India. State governments in India, who are primarily in charge of providing healthcare in their respective regions, will be especially interested in the detailed state-level data on these NCDs as it will allow them to develop evidence-based interventions to successfully halt the progression of NCDs and manage their complications.”