Issue of Diabetes in India
Context:
- While a “diabetes free India” may not be achievable, a “diabetes complications free India” is doable.
Introduction
- Lately, there has been a lot of interest in the idea that diabetes can be reversed. Many for-profit companies have hopped on the “reversal of diabetes” bandwagon and are making grandiose claims. As such, it’s critical to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of reversing diabetes.
Diabetes:
- Diabetes is a chronic illness that develops when the body either cannot use the insulin that the pancreas makes properly or does not create enough of it.
- One hormone that controls blood sugar is insulin. Hyperglycemia, sometimes referred to as elevated blood glucose or elevated blood sugar, is a frequent consequence of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus that eventually causes major harm to numerous bodily systems, particularly the blood vessels and neurons.
Diabetes type 1:
- Insulin must be used daily to treat type 1 diabetes, also referred to as insulin-dependent, juvenile, or childhood-onset diabetes. The condition is characterised by insufficient insulin synthesis. Nine million people worldwide suffer from type 1 diabetes in 2017, with most of them residing in high-income nations. Its aetiology and prevention strategies are unknown.
Diabetes type 2:
- Type 2 diabetes has the potential to seriously harm the body over time, particularly the blood vessels and nerves.
- Diabetes type 2 is frequently avoidable. Type 2 diabetes is caused by a number of factors, including heredity, being overweight, and not getting enough exercise.
Diabetes “remission”:
- First off, “remission” of diabetes is the proper term to use; “reversal” of diabetes is inaccurate from a scientific standpoint. Reversal suggests that a cure has been found and that the illness has permanently returned to normal. “Remission” suggests that the diabetes has just momentarily disappeared. For example, we are aware that cancer can enter remission but then return in a more aggressive form.
Diagnosis and remission:
- Diabetes is a multifaceted illness that cannot be reduced to one type. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes to which we speak when we discuss remission. Long-term remission is extremely unlikely to happen with some types of diabetes, such as type 1.
Some people with type 2 diabetes have a higher chance of going into remission. This is denoted by the initials ABCDE:
- A stands for glycated haemoglobin, or A1c, which shouldn’t be extremely high;
- B stands for either body weight or body mass index (BMI). If it is high, losing weight increases your chances of achieving remission;
- C-Peptide, a gauge of insulin secretion, is what C stands for. If it’s good, remission will come more readily;
- D stands for Diabetes Duration; a shorter duration increases the likelihood of a remission.
- E represents an enthusiastic person who is eager to go into remission.
Information about India:
- Our latest Indian Council of Medical Research–India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study indicates that 136 million Indians have prediabetes and 101 million have diabetes.
- It is possible to avoid most people with prediabetes from acquiring diabetes for a significant number of years by making simple lifestyle changes.
- It goes without saying that we should work towards diabetes remission in individuals who currently have it. If this isn’t feasible, though, following the ABCD principles for treating diabetes will guarantee that each of them can enjoy a long, healthy life free from issues related to their diabetes.
Way Forward:
- My goal is to create a “diabetes complications-free India,” even if we may not be able to make India “diabetes free.” Let’s renew our commitment to realising this goal on November 14, World Diabetes Day.
