Bengaluru: Dr Aravind R Sosale, founder and director, Diacon Hospital, which has the largest diabetic registry in Karnataka, says changing lifestyles has had a huge impact on the disease in the country where a good number of diabetics today are below 20. Also, with the disease being asymptomatic, a large number often go undiagnosed, he reveals in an interview with the Deccan Chronicle. Excerpts from the interview:
What are the current trends in diabetes in India?
Over the last five to six years the age bracket has come down, probably due to stress, overeating, obesity, and lack of physical exercise. Going by the statistics published in the CINDI2 newspaper, a lot of people who are diagnosed for the first time are below the age of 40 today. About 86 per cent of them are overweight or their BMI (Body Mass Index) is more than 25. Of this 25 per cent are below the age of 20.
Can you elaborate on the risk factors ?
It’s the sedentary lifestyle. Working hours are pretty long in India. As a result the bio-rhythm of the body changes. The sleep and food pattern is disturbed.
Is there enough awareness?
Diabetes is a-symptomatic across the world and definitely in India. For every one patient who is diagnosed, there are one or two more walking around with high blood sugars not knowing they have diabetes. People rarely go for routine check-ups.
Should diabetes come under Insurance cover?
Insurance companies don’t cover diabetes in India which is very unfortunate. Although it is certified as one of the biggest non- communicable diseases of the decade,insurance companies don’t cover the direct cost of treating diabetes. Only if you are admitted for a fracture or a road accident and have diabetes, is it covered. But once you are discharged and come back for routine treatment of diabetes, it is not covered by any insurance company in India.
What is the solution?
You must balance between your diet, exercise and medication, but if it is there in your genes you can’t do anything about it.
