• India has the highest number of adults living with untreated diabetes, with over 212 million affected in 2022 and 62% still remain untreated with similar statistics in low- and middle-income countries that see rising diabetes rates but stagnant treatment coverage.

• This study aimed to analyse global trends in both diabetes prevalence and treatment coverage in representative populations across countries

• The prevalence of diabetes in India nearly doubled from 11.9% in women and 11.3% in men in 1990 to 24% and 21.4%, respectively, in 2022.

• This untreated diabetes epidemic poses severe public health risks, including complications like heart disease, kidney damage, and vision loss.

• The study recommends expanding health insurance and primary health care to enhance early detection and effective treatment of diabetes to mitigate the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in India.

• The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) also highlights that 40% of Indian women and 12% of men suffer from abdominal obesity, a significant risk factor for diabetes.

• Addressing these intertwined health issues requires urgent public health interventions focusing on early detection, continuous care, and lifestyle modifications to mitigate the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in India.

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