In this millennium there has been a big change in the field of diabetes. Being one of the many ‘chronic’ disorders, diabetes has taken a central place in our thought process. This increasing recognition of ‘high blood sugar’ has been due to several reasons. First, the prevalence of diabetes among urban Indians has increased from 2 per cent in the 1970s to about 20 per cent in metropolitan cities at present. A staggering 77 million Indians—perhaps an underestimate—are living with diabetes. Second, the age of onset of type II diabetes has declined over the years – people in the peak productive periods of their lives often suffer complications from diabetes. Third, there is a growing recognition that people with well-controlled diabetes can reduce the risk of complications involving the kidneys, eyes, heart, feet, etc. No public health strategy for non-communicable diseases can ignore diabetes.
Incredible advances in research have also led to great advances in our understanding of diabetes. In Pune research…
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