India's health at a sugar tipping point, 50% see glucose imbalance

India is witnessing a diabetes epidemic in the making, with multiple research reports indicating a surge in its prevalence across the country.

- SANKET KOUL

According to a report by diagnostic service provider Thyrocare, 49.43 per cent of the tested population in India exhibited abnormal blood glucose levels, with 27.18 per cent identified as diabetic and 22.25 per cent as prediabetic.

The study, which analysed HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) test results from 1.96 million adults undergoing routine health checkups in 2023, follows a similar report published in The Lancet journal, which indicated that a quarter of adults living with diabetes globally in 2022 were in India.

The numbers reflect an increasing prevalence of the disease, as another study by the Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes estimated the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in India at 11.4 per cent and 15.3 per cent, respectively.