Union Territory of Chandigarh reported higher prevalence of diabetes compared to the states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, according to a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in four States and one Union Territory.

The ICMR has completed the phase I of task project entitled’ ICMR-India Diabetes (INDIAB) study-phase I” in the rural and urban settings in four states and one union territory viz Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Chandigarh have been included. The overall weighted prevalence of diabetes in Tamil Nadu was 10.4 per cent Jharkhand 5.3 per cent Chandigarh, 13.6 per cent and Maharashtra 8.4 per cent. The prevalence of pre-diabetes was 8.3 per cent, 8.1 per cent, 14.6 per cent and 12.8 per cent respectively, said an official release.

“The increase in prevalence of diabetes is due to various factors including unhealthy diets; obesity; sedentary lifestyle; ageing population; better availability of diagnostic facilities; environmental degradation and its impact on endocrine system etc.,” the study said.

The ICMR is also supporting research for development of low cost diabetes diagnostic tools through Ad-hoc research programme on low glycemic diet, preventive healthy life style strategies, and studies on camel milk effect on type-1 diabetes. Apart from advance research centre for diabetes research at Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, ICMR has also started collecting information on prevalence and risk factor assessment through multi-centre Task Force studies, it was disclosed in the Parliament recently.

“The Government of India has initiated the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) during the 11th Five Year Plan in 100 selected districts in 21 states with the aim to prevent and control the NCDs including diabetes through opportunistic screening of all persons above 30 years of age and all pregnant women. So far 62,19,882 people have been screened out of which 4,19,212 people are suspected to be diabetic. The screening is carried out by strip method in various healthcare delivery set ups viz. district hospitals, community health centres, sub-centres etc. The suspected diabetic cases screened at SCs and CHCs are further referred to CHCs & district hospitals respectively for confirmation and their treatment,” the release said.