The Hindu Business Line : 3 crore Indians are diabetic: WHO

IN 1995, around 1.75 crore Indians were estimated to be diabetic. According to the World Health Organisation, today around three crore people are afflicted by the disease in the country.

"This gives India the dubious distinction of having the largest population with diabetes in the world. It is estimated that by 2025, six crore people will be with diabetes in the country," according to Dr Subhankar Chowdhury, secretary of the Diabetic Association of India (DAI), Kolkata branch.

Dr Chowdhury told newspersons here on Monday that Indians were genetically predisposed towards diabetes. But the rapid growth of the ailment was attributed by experts to a change in lifestyle, food habits and lack of physical movement.

"Even teenagers are now being found to be afflicted by type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes, most common in older people particularly those who are overweight," he observed.

Diabetes-related eye problems were also becoming common among urban middle-class Indians, he added.

DAI, which is working toward prevention of diabetes, will organise an awareness walk here on the World Diabetes Day on November 14.

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