Socio-Economic Burden of Diabetes in India

Type 2 diabetes is the commonest form of diabetes constituting 90 % of the diabetic population in any country. The global prevalence of diabetes is estimated to increase, from 4 % in 1995 to 5.4 % by the year 2025.1 The countries with the largest number of diabetic subjects are, and will be India, China and U.S. and in the former two countries diabetes occurs mostly in the age range of 45-64 yrs, in contrast with an age of>65 in the developed countries. Epidemiological studies conducted in India, showed that not only the prevalence was high in urban India but it was also increasing2-4 (Table 1) (Figure 1). The period between 1989-95 showed a 40 % rise in the prevalence and subsequently a further increase of 16.4% was seen in the next 5 years. A national survey of diabetes conducted in six major cities in India in year 2000 showed that the prevalence of diabetes in urban adults was 12.1%