ICMR-INDIAB Study Uncovers Alarming Diabetes Rates in Jammu and Kashmir

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The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in partnership with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF), has unveiled significant findings from the ICMR-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) national study, which now includes data from the Union Territory of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The results for the Jammu region indicate that the overall diabetes prevalence stands at 18.9%, with a concerning 26.5% in urban areas compared to 14.5% in rural regions. Moreover, prediabetes affects 10.8% of the population, highlighting the pressing need for action against the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the area.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Honourable Union Minister of State, hailed the ICMR-INDIAB study as a pioneering effort that provides the first representative epidemiological data on diabetes, prediabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity across India. The findings from Jammu will aid in estimating the health burden posed by diabetes and metabolic NCDs, evaluating diabetes control levels, and shifting focus toward prevention and management strategies in the region.

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The ICMR-INDIAB study is a nationwide survey designed to furnish reliable data on the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and other NCDs in India. Coordinated by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and supported by the ICMR-INDIAB Expert Group, this cross-sectional survey has been conducted from 2008 to 2024 across all 28 states, the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, and seven Union Territories. In Jammu, the survey involved 1,520 participants from both urban and rural areas, providing essential insights into the health landscape of the region.

Dr. V. Mohan, Chairman of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and National Coordinator and Principal Investigator of the ICMR-INDIAB Study, expressed his satisfaction with the completion of the study across all 28 states, the NCT of Delhi, and seven Union Territories, including island territories. With a total of 121,077 participants screened for diabetes and other metabolic disorders, this study ranks among the largest epidemiological studies on diabetes ever conducted globally. The ICMR-INDIAB study revealed that approximately 101 million people in India are living with diabetes.

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Dr. Rajiv Kumar Gupta, Professor and Head of the Department of Community Medicine at Government Medical College, Jammu Region, noted that the ICMR-INDIAB study is unprecedented in Jammu for not only assessing the burden of diabetes and prediabetes but also gathering information on other cardiometabolic risk factors among the 1,520 participants.

The overall diabetes prevalence in Jammu is recorded at 18.9%, with urban prevalence at 26.5% and rural at 14.5%. Additionally, prediabetes affects 10.8% of the population, with urban areas showing 13.4% and rural areas 9.3%. Alarmingly, 40% of individuals had undiagnosed diabetes. The overall prevalence rates of hypertension, generalized obesity, and abdominal obesity in Jammu are 27.1%, 41.7%, and 62.7%, respectively.

Dr. Tanvir Kaur, Scientist ‘G’ in the Division of Non-Communicable Diseases at ICMR, extended her gratitude to the current and former ICMR Directors General for their support of the ICMR-INDIAB study over the past 15 years, making it the largest epidemiological investigation in diabetes research.

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As reported by biospectrumindia.com, the results of the study are anticipated to assist policymakers, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders in formulating targeted interventions for the prevention and management of diabetes and other NCDs in Jammu and throughout India.