Controlled diet possible to get rid of diabetes: Survey

With diabetes cases expected to double from the current 100 million to over 200 million by 2045, strategies to manage the disease are being reviewed by health professionals. In a new nationwide survey, it has been found that 71 per cent of doctors believe that diabetes prevention (DR) – bringing blood sugar back into the normal range without the aid of drugs – is possible.

A pan-India survey among diabetologists was conducted by digital healthcare company Practo in April to understand the medical community’s perspective towards managing the growing burden of diabetes in India.

Medicos also said that nearly 40 percent of their patients were eligible for DR, but barely 52 percent had access to a dietician, either in-house or outpatient, or to a structured DR program. The survey found that the rest are forced to juggle multiple roles alone in a time-crunched environment.

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The survey revealed several barriers to implementing DR in their patients – difficulty with patient adherence to diet and fitness plans (86 percent), lack of family support (43 percent), and lack of resources to closely monitor patient progress (29 percent).

Accordingly, a Practo spokesperson said that while the survey highlighted a growing trend towards DR among healthcare professionals, it also brought to the fore a key gap in diabetes care delivery – the need for a structured support system to enable successful delivery of DR plans to patients.

The average age of those surveyed was 44, their HbA1c level was 8.4, and the average duration of diabetes was more than six years.

Of these, 88 percent reduced or discontinued the medications over the six-month course, with the average patients experiencing a 1.7-point reduction (from 8.4 to 6.6) in HCA1c levels and a 7.2-kilogram weight loss over the same period.

Hema Venkataraman, Medical Consultant, Practo Transform said that diabetes in India is a unique and complex condition that presents huge challenges in its management.

“With incidence as high as 20 per cent in some cities, there is an urgent need to introduce comprehensive prevention and remission programmes. The survey highlights that the country’s healthcare community recognizes the importance of DR and also recognizes the unmet need for a support system to help implement DR,” Venkratman said.

Consultant endocrinologist Anusha ND said that although diabetes cannot be reversed, it is certainly possible to reduce it with weight loss, especially since obesity is becoming more common among youngsters these days.

“Hence, if one manages to lose weight by sticking to diet and exercise, remission is possible, but it may not happen to everyone. However, weight loss definitely brings many other benefits as well, like, the dosage of diabetes and hypertension drugs can be reduced and the lipid profile will be better,” said Anusha.

Experts said weight loss would lead to fewer complications, better health, improved lifestyle and a significant reduction in cardiovascular risks. The Practo survey covered doctors in Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and other Tier II and III cities.