Global Diabetes Landscape - Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in South Asia: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Control

Rajeev Gupta, MD, PhD and Praneet Kumar, MBBS, DHA

DM has been present in South Asia for centuries. Epidemiologic studies reveal that the prevalence of this condition has increased exponentially in urban populations and that even the underprivileged are not exempt. The region of South Asia that includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal is home to 1.5 billion people, and recent estimates show that this area houses the largest number of people with DM in the world. This article summarizes studies that have been conducted on the epidemiology of DM in India and other countries of South Asia, discusses these findings in the context of worldwide data, and suggests population-based interventions for control of this epidemic. A novel national chronic care program
is suggested.