New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) The diabetes bomb is ticking in India and experts say massive awareness campaigns should be launched by both government and educational institutions. Healthy eating habits should be taught from childhood to curb the growing threat of the lifestyle disease that has already impacted 50 million people in the country.
India, which has been dubbed the diabetes capital of the world, is also seeing a number of children and those living in rural areas suffering from the disease.

Diabetes no longer remains an urban phenomenon or restricted to adults, Nikhil Tandon, professor of endocrinology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), told IANS.

He said due to urbanisation and industrialisation, villages were now becoming towns. “Small towns have been industrialised. So the urban and rural divide has been blurred. And this means lifestyle changes,” said the endocrinologist.

He said he agrees with the findings of the latest report by the International Diabetic Federation (IDF) that said India leads the world in the looming epidemic of diabetes.

The report, which was presented at the 20th annual World Diabetes Conference in Montreal Monday, said India currently has the highest number of people (50.8 million) suffering from diabetes, followed by China (43.2 million) and the US (26.8 million). The report projected 58.7 million diabetes cases in India by 2010 - almost seven percent of its adult population.

By 2030, over 8.4 percent of the Indian adult population will suffer from diabetes, thanks to the increasing life expectancy and urbanisation, the report predicted.

Tandon said: “Massive awareness campaigns should be started both in rural and urban areas. It should not be limited to metros alone. The message should reach the remotest parts of India.”

“The best way is to take initiatives now. This can only happen when we target people right from school to college, workplace and at the community level,” he added.

“We are seeing young children suffer from diabetes. It is only through education that we will be able to communicate the dangers of the chronic disease. Good habits start from childhood. Teachers and parents have to understand that physical exercise is important,” Tandon said.

He said small steps such as not serving junk food in school cafeterias, parents sending wholesome food for lunch and teachers and parents ensuring time for children to play would make a difference.

Rekha Sharma, a director and a dietician at the Diabetes Foundation of India (DFI), said: “India has become the diabetic capital of the world. The sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits are the most important factors leading to an increase in diabetes in the country.”

“There is a need to bring changes in our lifestyle and eating habits. We have to shift to a more wholesome diet rather than refined and junk food and follow an active lifestyle,” she said.

The IDF report warns that diabetes will impose a huge economic burden on India and other countries. Apart from losing billions in productivity, the report said, India will also be spending $2.8 billion annually on diabetes control measures by 2010.

There are estimated to be 285 million diabetic cases worldwide, accounting for seven percent of the world’s population.

Diabetes, along with cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases, accounts for 60 percent of all deaths worldwide.

N.K. Pandey, general surgeon and chairman Asian Institute of Medical Science, said: “Diabetes will become the largest workload on the health care sector in the coming years due to our sedentary nature of work, growth in average incomes, and the spread of westernisation.”

“There is a global shift in diet towards increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat and sugars but low in vitamins, minerals and other micro nutrients,” he said.

“It is high time we change our lifestyle, before it is too late,” Pandey said.