Diabetes incidence high among 40-60 years age group: Tata 1mg

New Delhi: Ahead of World Diabetes Day on November 14, Tata 1mg shared that one-third of the people who tested for HbA1c at Tata 1mg Labs, were found to have diabetes, with the highest incidence reported among the 40-60 years, age group. The proportion of diabetes patients was found to be higher in men as compared to women. This report has been prepared on the basis of a retrospective data analysis conducted on people who wanted to get themselves checked specifically for diabetes, or those who took a preventive health screening package.

A total of 536,164 blood samples were tested for diabetes between March-October 2022. Out of these samples, 180,891 (about 33 per cent) were diagnosed as positive for the disease. The incidence was highest in the 40-60 years age group (44 per cent), followed by 60+ years (42 per cent) and 25-40 years (12.5 per cent). More men (58 per cent) were found to suffer from diabetes than women (42 per cent).

Dr Prashant Nag, Clinical Head, Tata 1mg Labs said, “All adults in India without risk factors should be screened with a test for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes starting at age 35, instead of age 45. However, many experts have recommended that screening for diabetes should now be initiated at 25 years of age, looking at the recent increase in diabetes cases in young adults in the country.”

In addition to the genetic predisposition, the main culprits for causing a surge in diabetes cases in India are unhealthy lifestyle factors like lack of physical activity, excessive fast-food consumption, smoking, and alcohol consumption. However, certain studies have shown that COVID-19 is also capable of causing direct damage to the pancreas that could worsen sugar levels in known diabetics, and even induce the onset of diabetes in previously non-diabetics, the expert said.

Chhavi Kohli, Chief Diabetes Educator & Nutritionist, Medanta the Medicity, Gurgaon, said, “There is no special diet for diabetes; the whole idea is to nourish the body by taking various nutrients in the right proportion and right time. The focus should be on eating lots of seasonal colorful vegetables, consuming healthy fats and adequate protein sources. For carbs, choose a variety of whole grains. Do not miss fruits, use them as snacks and avoid packaged and processed food items. Also, a lot of myths prevail around the right diet for diabetes. Do not fall prey to misinformation. Always consult certified nutritionists and diabetes educators for your diabetes.’’

Diabetes imposes lifelong demands on people living with the disease and their families, and people with diabetes do better when they take active control of their own care. Diabetes can be tackled with a balanced and healthy diet, an active lifestyle, timely intake of prescribed medications, regular health checkups, and planned doctor visits.