Contribution of Family is Critical in the Management of Diabetes

Abstract

Diabetes is a global health problem and World Health Organization (WHO) has described this as an epidemic, especially in India. Though the prevalence of diabetes started increasing in 1970s and 80s, there is a rapid escalation of the disease in first decade of this century. Especially in India, due to rapid industrialization and abrupt change in socio-economic fabric of the society, diabetes has become more prevalent in Indian subcontinent. Earlier diabetes was a disease of affluence in the society who can afford to eat diet rich in sugar and fat. But now, diabetes is quite common in lower and middle class population due to change in the eating habit and decline in physical activity. In 1960s, 2% of adults between the age group of 20 to 50 years had diabetes in the southern part of India including the city of Chennai. But, today diabetes is prevalent in more than 25% of population in this age group in this part of the country. Further, equal number of population is having prediabetes.^[1]