Diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death among non communicable diseases globally. It is manageable for northern countries but its growing concern for developing countries like India.
In 2019 the estimated people above 18 years who were diabetic found to be 77 million. As of june 2023 the revised data according to WHO the number increased to 100 million. Out of these 77 million people are over the age of 18. And the worst is 57% out of these people are not even aware of their health situation. The adversity does not end here, WHO has projected that this number will reach 134 million by 2045.
Before moving to causes and consequences of diabetes, let’s take a brief look into diabetes and its types to get insight of the depth of the concern.
Diabetes:
It is a chronic disease (long-lasting) that is caused when one’s body can’t produce enough insulin to maintain sugar level or can’t use the produced insulin to maintain blood sugar level.
The human body breaks the food into glucose and this produces energy for the body to do work. When the food is broken into glucose the sugar level of blood gets increased, then the pancreas releases insulin to maintain the sugar.
Types of diabetes:
- Type 1:
In this case the body attacks itself. As a result it stops the body from producing insulin. The symptoms are developed very quickly and diagnosed at any age. Only 5-10% of people usually suffer from this type of diabetes. If one suffers from this type of diabetes they will need insulin shot daily to survive. Sadly there is no prevention for this.
- Type 2:
In this case the body is not able to use the produced insulin to maintain the blood sugar level. 90% of the population suffers from Type 2 diabetes. It can’t be easily diagnosed as symptoms developed over time and generally found out in adults. For this type of diabetes people need to check themselves regularly who are at high risk.
- Gestational diabetes:
This happens to pregnant ladies who never had diabetes. This diabetes goes away after pregnancy but it increases the chance of Type 2 diabetes in later stages of life.
- Prebiates:
In such cases the blood sugar is normally higher than the prescribed range. According to a survey 8 out 10 people who suffer from this don’t even know their condition.
Consequences Of Diabetes:
Diabetes is spreading its roots as an epidemic in India which in a few years will be more visible without checking data on the internet.The consequences or adverse effects are multidimensional. Lets check each dimensions of upcoming and maybe inevitable epidemic:
Human health:
Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for the majority of the cases, can possibly lead to multiorgan complications,like microvascular and macrovascular complications. These complications can significantly increase premature morbidity and mortality resulting in reduced life expectancy. People with type 2 diabetes can suffer from health problems like heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, permanent vision loss, problems with their feet from nerve damage and poor blood flow.
Social Effect:
India has a high demographic dividend till 2045. But due to the increasing cases of diabetes it would be very difficult to utilise its maximum potential. As diabetes decreases the productivity of the person and most likely can cause severe depression.
Economic effect:
The Indian diabetes market size reached a value of almost USD 256.60 million in the year 2022. The market is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.5% between 2023 and 2028.
Also the increasing number of patients is causing a burden on the health care system.
Reasons for Occurence and Escalation of Diabetes:
The different causes of diabetes are genetic factors, unhealthy eating habits, physical inactivity, lack of awareness, obesity, steady urban migration, and lifestyle changes etc.
Solution to Problem
There is no cure for diabetes till now, it can only be suppressed and prevented. So following are the safe guide to follow to envision a healthy life:
a) Get frequent medical checkups.
b) If diagnosed diabetic take proper medications.
c) Always eat healthy food and avoid junks alongwith things that increase blood sugar.
d) Exercise
Despite the incidence of diabetes within India, there are no nationwide multi-centric studies conducted on the prevalence of diabetes and its complications. People are unaware of the apocalyptic consequences of it. By the time they will know it will be too late to go back and make things better. The worst part is most of the patients of this disease are youngsters so not only is it a concern for families and society but it is a concern for India’s future.
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