Practo on Friday said that it has witnessed an overall 44 percent increase in diabetes consultations (in-person) year-on-year (October 2020 – September 2021 vs October 2021 – September 2022).
According to the healthcare company, young Indians in the age group of 25 – 34 recorded the highest spike in consultations as their share of consultations increased by 46 percent since last year. Doctors suggest poor lifestyle choices, lack of exercise or even poor dietary habits might be some of the factors contributing to the rise in diabetes among young Indians, it stated.
According to Practo insights, diabetes, diabetologists and endocrinologists were the top 3 leading queries (searches) for diabetes on Practo. Meanwhile, diabetes and Diabetologists accounted for 46% of the top 3 queries, and Endocrinologists accounted for 54 percent.
The company also revealed that young Indians in the age group of 25-34 accounted for 50 percent of all consultations and recorded a 46 percent YoY increase. 18-24 years accounted for 5 percent of total consultations; recording a 91 percent increase, 35-44 years accounted for 33 percent of total consultations; recording a 23 percent increase, 45-54 years accounted for 8 percent of total consultations; recording an 18 percent increase and over 54 years accounted for 4 percent of total consultations; recording a 0.41 percent dip.
According to Practo, Tier 1 cities accounted for 95 percent of all consultations; recording a 44 percent YoY increase. Meanwhile, Delhi-NCR accounted for 40 percent of total consultations; recording a 46 percent increase.
“The burden of diabetes in India has doubled in the last 20 years overwhelming the existing health care infrastructure, which has not grown proportionately. With as high as 1 in 5 adults estimated to have diabetes, it is time to rethink sustainable diabetes care delivery. The breakthrough discovery of diabetes remission is shifting the paradigm of diabetes care, from a glucocentric drug treatment-based approach to a more holistic, large-scale prevention strategy targeting the root cause of diabetes. The rollout of a nationwide Diabetes remission program is the need of the hour along with a strong public health campaign and policy change on advertising and healthy eating,” Dr. Hema Venkataraman, Medical Advisor, New Initiatives, Practo, Consultant Endocrinologist and Senior Lecturer, University Hospitals Birmingham, NHS, UK, said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Tier 2 cities on the other hand accounted for 5% of all consultations, recording a 24 percent YoY decrease.
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