Infographic | Goa tops Indian states with diabetes prevalance

The Goa BJP's medical cell convenor Dr Shekhar Salkar blamed 'westernised' eating habits and lifestyle

The prevalence of diabetes in India is 11.4 per cent, a study titled Metabolic non-communicable disease health report of India, published in the Lancet journal showed. Goa topped the states with the highest prevalence of diabetes, while Puducherry and Kerala came second and third respectively.

Scientists screened over 1 lakh people from both rural and urban India between October 18, 2008, and December 17, 2020, for the study.

'There is huge variation in prevalence between the states and hence every state will have to look at different measures to prevent health complications,' The Times of India quoted the chairperson of the India-diabetes expert committee as saying.

Read | Over 11% Indians diabetic, 3% have hypertension: Lancet survey

The Goa BJP's medical cell convenor Dr Shekhar Salkar, meanwhile, blamed the increasingly westernised lifestyle for many non-communicable diseases in the coastal state. "Goa is completely westernised in its eating and lifestyle habits. Which is why even the instances of breast cancer have shown a significant rise," he said, adding, "There is nothing wrong in western eating habits, but our (Indian) body is not attuned to it."

The medical expert also noted that Goa is seeing an uptick in obesity, one of the causes of diabetes.

Goa already has measures in place and is taking further steps to help diabetics. "There are dedicated counsellors who help diabetics with their medication. A separate diabetes registry is also being maintained in the state since 2011," an official said.

IANS reported in 2013 that Goa had the highest rate of diabetes in the nation for people over 40.

(With PTI inputs)