A metabolic health crisis

Simplifying insulin resistance, a clinically significant condition that acts as a root cause for type 2 diabetes, obesity, and more

- SREYA DEB

INSULIN RESISTANCE IS becoming a major health crisis in India, acting as a root cause for type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

A study on lipid profile levels by Metropolis Healthcare released last year reveals that one in three Indians shows lipid abnormalities, which is a key marker of insulin resistance.

"It is a real concern that requires sustained attention or priority," says Dr Srirangam Vamshi, endocrinologist, Apollo Clinic, Hyderguda, Hyderabad. Incidentally, growing awareness and conversation around the clinically significant condition has triggered an explosion of information. "The proliferation of health information online has created a rather paradoxical situation. While it has increased the awareness of insulin resistance and metabolic health, it also carries the risks that are associated with self-diagnosis and self-medication," observes Dr Kalyan Kumar Gangapadhyay, endocrinologist at CMRI, Kolkata.

According to Dr Gangapadhyay, there are obvious problems with self-diagnosis and medication. "However, there are many other diseases which may masquerade as insulin resistance. They can be endocrinological or hormonal problems like Cushing's syndrome or hypothyroidism, which requires medical intervention."

It is, therefore, important to know the symptoms, causes and preventions for insulin resistance, and its management for overall health.

High burden, serious concern

"The burden of insulin resistance in India is extremely high. It has become a major public health concern which has led to the country being called as the 'diabetes capital' of the world," says Dr Vamshi. "India is one of the seven countries in the International Diabetes Federation, Southeast Asia Region, and it has the second highest number of adults with diabetes in the world."