India Today reports: A quiet but deeply worrying health crisis is unfolding among India’s youngest citizens. Recent estimates suggest that among adolescents aged 10–19 years, 12.3 percent are prediabetic while 8.4 percent already have type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition where the body cannot regulate blood sugar (glucose) due to lack of insulin or resistance to it.
Prediabetes is a state that not only precedes diabetes but also raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The alarming numbers mean nearly one in five teenagers is on the diabetes spectrum-numbers that would have been unthinkable just a generation ago. This surge has pushed the government to act.
Background
The decision by the administration led by Narendra Modi to integrate childhood diabetes care – covering diagnosis and lifelong treatment – into the public health system marks a significant shift. Under the revised Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK 2.0), India now has a standardized national framework to manage childhood diabetes for the first time. The urgency is hard to overstate, especially since the country is also the world’s diabetes capital with 10.
Key facts
- A quiet but deeply worrying health crisis is unfolding among India’s youngest citizens.
- Recent estimates suggest that among adolescents aged 10–19 years, 12.3 percent are prediabetic while 8.4 percent already have type 2 diabetes.
- Diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition where the body cannot regulate blood sugar (glucose) due to lack of insulin or resistance to it.
- Prediabetes is a state that not only precedes diabetes but also raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
- The alarming numbers mean nearly one in five teenagers is on the diabetes spectrum-numbers that would have been unthinkable just a generation ago.
What this means
1 crore adults with diabetes and another 13.6 crore have prediabetes. India has one of the largest child populations in the world, with over 430 million or 43 crore individuals under 18. Within this vast demographic, the rising burden of diabetes signals not just a medical issue, but a looming public health and economic challenge.
At the heart of the problem lies a dramatic shift in how children live, eat, and grow. Sedentary routines, increased screen time, processed foods, and reduced physical activity are reshaping childhood itself. These changes are closely tied to a parallel rise in obesity – one of the strongest predictors of type 2 diabetes.
Originally reported by India Today. This story has been edited and re-presented by BRIC Team.
