Diabetes in India: A Lifestyle Management Perspective

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According to the IDF Diabetes Atlas 4th edition, India has the second highest number of people with Diabetes at 5 crore (50 Million) adults.

One in 8 Indian adults either has or is at high-risk of Diabetes. According to the IDF Diabetes Atlas 4th edition, India has the second highest number of people with Diabetes at 5 crore (50 Million) adults. In addition to this, 4 crore (40 million) Indians have impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), which means they are at high-risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
Some key Diabetes facts underlining the serious impact of Diabetes in India:
• Due to South Asian ethnicity, Indians are genetically predisposed to Diabetes. Therefore, people with type 2 Diabetes should not be blamed for their condition.
• Diabetes affects Indians a decade earlier than Europeans.
• The prevalence of Diabetes in urban areas is twice as high as rural areas
“There is mounting evidence showing that diabetes and its complications are threatening India’s economic progress and development. The World Health Organization predicts diabetes and cardiovascular disease will drain the Indian economy of Rs. 100,000 crores (USD 23 billion) each year in lost national income by 2015,” says Dr. Shaukat Sadikot, President – Diabetes India and Vice President – International Diabetes Federation. He adds, “Diabetes is no longer merely a condition that usually affects only the rich and elderly. Due to sedentary lifestyles, mass urbanization and changing diets, diabetes is affecting people at a younger age.
Additionally, Diabetes is also considered to be at the centre of the metabolic syndrome that encompasses other disorders such as Obesity, Cardiovascular Health and Hypertension.” Dr. Sadikot points out that a few simple lifestyle practices can help in diabetes prevention. For example, if one’s waist size in more than 90 cm, the person is 5 times at risk of contracting diabetes and must get himself checked at once. Similarly, if the family has a person with diabetes, the other adults in the household are likely to be predisposed to the condition and must get checked for blood sugar levels.
The role of Lifestyle

Studies indicate that the high incidence of Diabetes in the country is mainly because of sedentary lifestyle, limited physical activity, obesity, stress and consumption of unhealthy diets. Although there are increasing noise levels around Diabetes, yet awareness levels around making the right choices in lifestyle are relatively low. Diabetes is posing a serious lifestyle challenge and needs immediate attention. It needs building awareness for Diabetes prevention & management, and creating expert solutions/ products than can be included in the lifestyle of a person with Diabetes.

What is right eating?
Lifestyle management in Diabetes needs to cover regular physical activity, disciplined medication and a balanced diet that should also include Healthy snacking. “Diet changes in Lifestyle need to begin with healthy eating, which needs to be well planned. Well balanced meals and regular intake of smaller portions at frequent intervals are essential to diet management when one has diabetes. Healthy snacking is imperative in between meals in helping keep blood sugar levels stable.” says Dr. Sadikot. The people in India with Diabetes are also devoid of choices, especially when it comes to options for their diet. The people with Diabetes:
• Straddle between a slew of so-called ‘Sugar free’ products on one side and ‘not easy to include’ solutions like supplements etc.
• Suffer from un-sustained energy levels in their bodies that create barriers for them from leading a normally active lifestyle on a day-to-day basis.
• Counter depravation from their favorite foods i.e. Sweets, Confectionery, Fried snacks etc., while they see everyone else enjoying it around. This leads them to believe that they cannot lead a normal, enjoyable life any more, which is free from worries.
Interactions with people with Diabetes and experts suggested that there is no snack in Indian market that is enjoyable, convenient and is suitable for people with Diabetes to include into their diet.
Sugar free is not enough
Besides helping cut sugar intake, a Diabetic Friendly snack must also ensure that it does not create extreme swings in blood sugar levels. Diabetic Friendly snacks should be created keeping exactly the same need in mind to keep a person feeling satisfied and active for longer. There is a need for products in India that are created keeping in mind, the nutrition needs of a person with Diabetes and his taste needs.
Time to Conquer Diabetes
Diabetes is a staring challenge that is already started to threaten repercussions on the overall health profile of the country’s population and a severe negative impact on productivity and economic growth of India. It is time that a right combination of awareness/ salience building for the issues and expert solutions should be made available to enable lifestyle choices. Companies are trying to offer persons with diabetes a perfect combination of right nutrition with the desired taste preferences and sensorial.

Ideally, Diabetic snack should have

• Zero Added Sugar: High Sugar is an important risk factor for people with Diabetes.
• Zero Cholesterol: A person with Diabetes is more likely to have cholesterol abnormalities that contribute to cardiovascular diseases.
• Zero Trans Fats: Trans Fats tend to raise the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
• Extra Dietary Fibre: A combination of soluble and insoluble fibres that delay glucose absorption preventing extreme swings in blood sugar levels.
• Complex Carbohydrates: Complex Carbohydrates are considered healthier because they are digested by the body slowly, providing a steady source of energy.