A new study published in The Lancet has revealed that India has the highest number of people with untreated diabetes. According to a study by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), a global network of health experts working with the WHO, an estimated 828 million adults (aged 18 and older) had diabetes in 2022.
According to media reports, of these, more than a quarter (212 million) were in India, followed by 148 million in China, 42 million in the United States, 36 million in Pakistan, 25 million in Indonesia, and 22 million in Brazil.
The NCD-RisC provides comprehensive and up-to-date data on non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors across 200 countries and territories.
Professor Majid Ezzati, senior author of the study from Imperial College London, has been quoted highlighting the growing global disparities in diabetes care, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the number of cases is rising sharply but treatment rates remain stagnant.
“This is particularly concerning as diabetes is affecting younger people in these regions, and without proper treatment, they face serious complications like amputations, heart disease, and early death,” Ezzati said.
The study found that global diabetes rates doubled between 1990 and 2022. In men, the rate went from 6.8% to 14.3%, and in women, from 6.9% to 13.9%. The largest increases were in LMICs, while some high-income countries, including Japan, Canada and parts of Western Europe (France, Spain, Denmark), saw little or no change. In India, the diabetes rate nearly doubled for both men and women—rising from 11.9% to 24% in women and from 11.3% to 21.4% in men. However, treatment coverage barely improved, increasing from 21.6% to 27.8% in women and 25.3% to 29.3% in men between 1990 and 2022.
Dr. Sachin Kumar Jain, an endocrinologist at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, had described India’s situation as a pressing public health challenge. “This is driven by limited healthcare access, socio-economic barriers, and lack of awareness about diabetes,” he said. He emphasised that early detection and continuous care are essential to improve outcomes, urging collaboration between government bodies and healthcare professionals to address the diabetes burden in India.
Dr. Anoop Misra, chairman of Fortis C-Doc, noted that while the study suggests treatment coverage may be under 30%, many people turn to alternative therapies, self-medicate, or manage their condition through lifestyle changes, delaying proper care. “This requires urgent action,” he said, stressing the need for improved diabetes management and awareness.
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