One in three well-managed diabetes in India, a national study revealed

 A nationwide study funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and co-ordinated by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, found that only a third of people with known diabetes in India are unable to effectively control diabetes. The study also revealed that fewer than half were able to properly control blood pressure and LDL (bad) cholesterol, and only 7.7 percent met all of the targets.

The study, which has a large sample of 113,043 people in 30 countries and territories of the Union, is the first comprehensive study of epidemics involving participants from all over the country. The findings of this ten-year study were published in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.

Speaking at a press conference on the study on Friday, Dr. R.Man Anjana, Managing Director, Dr. Mohan's Diabetes Specialties Center and Vice President, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and the study's lead author said: for the treatment of diabetes, such as HbA1c, high blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol in a nationally representative population-based study in India. We found that one-third of people with reported diabetes had good glycemic control and less than half had better control of blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, with significant variability between regions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to raise awareness of healthy eating and the importance of exercise among Indians by both public and private institutions. ”

"As health is the responsibility of every region in India, the information provided by our research on the diversity of regions and provinces in achieving treatment goals can assist governments in formulating policies aimed at improving the provision of diabetes care and monitoring in India," he said.

The findings of the study indicate that the achievement of treatment goals and the adoption of healthy behavior remains poor in India. According to the researcher, there is a need for better control of glycemia, blood pressure, and lipid levels, to reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications in Indians.

Regarding how the ongoing epidemic has affected research, Drs. Mohan told Financial Express.com: “The research took about 10 to 11 years because we covered the whole area and corners of the country. Most of the research was done before the study, however, for a few months due to the high levels of COVID-19 we stopped at. But we picked it up again. The epidemic did not have a major impact on the study. This is one of the most recognizable courses. This study could be useful in other subjects. ”

According to researchers, these results could assist both Central and State governments in formulating policies to improve diabetes care at the lowest, highest and highest levels in the country.