India recorded 31 million new cases of diabetes between 2019 and 2021. We need to achieve remission in people with diabetes to prevent a major crisis. We are making incredible breakthroughs in all walks of life, hoping for life-altering innovations that help humankind. But at the same time, conditions like cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes are crippling the healthcare system globally as the numbers rise every day, and people aren’t paying attention. Diabetes is a chronic condition resulting from rising, uncontrolled blood glucose levels in the body. Type-2 diabetes accounts for most of the diabetes cases in India and can cause multi-organ failure. It leads to premature mortality and morbidity, which has made this a burden on the Indian healthcare system.

What you need to know:

Understanding type-2 diabetes
Type-2 diabetes: An overview
Factors contributing to type-2 diabetes
Can type-2 diabetes be reversed?
Exploring reversibility
Studies and evidence
How can I get into remission?

Understanding type-2 diabetes

Diabetes is a disease caused either by the pancreas’s inability to produce insulin or the body’s inability to use insulin effectively. The former is type-1 diabetes, and the latter is type-2 diabetes. They develop insulin resistance due to their failure to respond to insulin typically. The pancreas keeps producing insulin, and when it fails to do so, blood glucose levels start rising.

Type-2 diabetes: An overview

Type-2 diabetes was initially seen in adults over 40 years of age, but now we are witnessing more and more cases of young adults, teens and even children developing the disease. Type-2 diabetes or high blood sugar in general can be damaging to the heart, retina, and kidneys. Diabetic retinopathy and chronic kidney disease are pretty well-established damaging effects of uncontrolled diabetes. Moreover, unlike type-1 diabetes, several factors can contribute to unchecked blood glucose levels.

Factors contributing to type-2 diabetes

Symptoms of type-2 diabetes develop over time and often go unnoticed. Periodic checkup is the only way to avoid severe damage from undiagnosed diabetes. However, certain key factors can contribute to developing type-2 diabetes that you need to address:

Obesity
Prediabetes
Over 40 years of age
Have a family history of diabetes
Have a sibling who has type-2 diabetes
Less physically active and have a sedentary lifestyle
Belong to an ethnicity that is known to be prone to diabetes

If you are a woman who has ever suffered from gestational diabetes, you can

Experience stress and lack of sleep
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Unfortunately, India is now home to 101 million people with diabetes (type-1 and type-2) and about 136 million experiencing prediabetes.

Can type-2 diabetes be reversed?

Although the progress has been promising, we cannot claim that diabetes can be cured. According to Dr Mangesh Tiwaskar, a Diabetes Specialist in Mumbai, once a patient has been diagnosed with type-2 disease, it is considered a chronic condition. “You can go into remission through good lifestyle, proper medication, exercise, and regular consultations, and your glucose levels may well be within the normal range, but you cannot consider yourself cured,” Dr Tiwaskar said.

Exploring reversibility

As concerning as the number of diabetes patients in India is, the rising case of prediabetes is equally alarming. However, it is a solution to prevent or delay the onset of type-2 diabetes by reducing weight, staying physically active, making healthier dietary choices, reducing stress, and getting adequate sleep.

Studies and evidence

Over 77 million people in India are living with type-2 diabetes, over half of whom remain undiagnosed. Diabetes is already among the top 10 leading causes of death, and by 2045, over 134 million Indians are estimated to be suffering from the disease. Although obesity is not the only parameter to determine whether or not you develop type-2 diabetes, the chances of obese people developing the disease are six times more than average. This can significantly burden the system in lower- and middle-income countries like India.

How can I get into remission?

Weight loss is essential for reversing prediabetes or getting into remission. A CDC study has shown that obese people who have lost a moderate amount of weight and adopted a healthier lifestyle have reduced the risk of developing type-2 diabetes by 58%. Scientists believe the abnormal excess fat stored in the pancreas and liver affects the development of type-2 diabetes. Losing this excess fat can help a patient get into remission.

The fundamental challenge is to identify type-2 diabetes before it starts damaging other organs. It’s no longer related to just older people; hence, precautions must be taken immediately. Taking care of your body and getting tested periodically can help you stay ahead in managing your condition.

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