World Diabetes Day is being observed on November 14, with new data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) revealing the scale of diabetes risks and gaps in diabetes detection in the city.
According to a survey conducted by BMC as part of the Salt and Sugar 2025 campaign with a sample size of 695 people, only 27 per cent of respondents were aware of the health risks associated with excessive sugar consumption. Another survey conducted on 5,000 people showed that 15.6% of them were in the pre-diabetic stage.
Municipal health institutions have screened 5,59,751 people for diabetes and hypertension over the past three years. Medical experts estimate that about half of people with diabetes remain undiagnosed until they develop complications.
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The BMC campaign included nutritional counseling to more than 1,59,000 patients to prevent diabetes and its related conditions. There are currently 26 municipal hospitals running NCD staffs to conduct regular blood pressure and diabetes screenings for individuals over 30 years of age.
More than 1,20,000 patients are undergoing diabetes treatment at BMC clinics. The Healthy Campus initiative, launched across over 100 colleges in the city, aims to educate youth about healthy diet and lifestyle practices. Public nutrition sessions during Nutrition Month in September reached more than 12,000 people with information about balanced meals and reducing sugar.
Medical experts identify lack of awareness and silent progression of diabetes as the main reasons for delayed detection. “One of the main reasons why 50 per cent people don’t know they have diabetes is because the disease often develops silently. Five out of 10 people aged between 30 to 65 years often come only after experiencing complications like kidney problems or heart problems, and have a history of diabetes,” said Dr Rashi Agrawal, endocrinologist at Zenova Shalpi Hospital, Mumbai.
The doctor indicated that these problems were caused by a lack of control over diabetes. Dr Rashi Agrawal added: “Lack of awareness, irregular health check-ups, and the misconception that diabetes only affects the elderly further delay detection. Common symptoms such as increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, or slow wound healing should prompt early testing, even if you feel healthy.”
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The BMC has urged the public to use free municipal screening facilities, read food labels, reduce intake of processed sugar and adopt more active measures.
(Tags for translation)World Diabetes Day
