Over 57% obesity, 30% hypertension in Kmr, Ladakh: ICMR study highlights NCD Crisis

SRINAGAR: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has published its INDIAB study, a detailed investigation into the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across India, with a particular focus on Kashmir and Ladakh.
The findings reveal a troubling public health scenario, with known diabetes prevalence at 5.4% and new cases at 2.4%, resulting in a total diabetes rate of 7.8%. Pre-diabetes affects 10.5% of the population, while hypertension has a prevalence of 30%. Perhaps most alarming is the obesity rate, affecting 57.6% of adults surveyed in Kashmir and Ladakh.
Addressing the media in Srinagar, Director SKIMS Soura Dr. Mohd Ashraf Ganie said Non-communicable disease (NCD) rates are rapidly increasing in India with wide regional variations. The study aimed to quantify the prevalence of metabolic NCDs in India and analyze interstate and inter-regional variation.
The Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study, a cross-sectional population-based survey, assessed a representative sample of individuals aged 20 years and older, drawn from both urban and rural areas across states, including the Union Territory of India, he added.
Director SKIMS further said that the study was conducted in multiple phases with a stratified multistage sampling design, using three-tier stratification based on geography, population density, and socioeconomic status. Diabetes and prediabetes were diagnosed using the WHO criteria; hypertension using the Eighth Joint National Committee guidelines, obesity (generalized and abdominal) using the WHO Asia Pacific guidelines, and dyslipidemia using the National Cholesterol Education Program—Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines.
The study was completed recently in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Kashmir & Ladakh Report (July 2023 – January 2024) of ICMR INDIAB study conducted under the leadership of Prof. M. Ashraf Ganie reports on the prevalence of diabetes, prediabetes, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia in a representative sample of adults in both urban and rural areas of the union territory, he said.
Director SKIMS added that it attempts to identify region-wise and state-wide differences in the status of these NCDs in the country using robust sampling and diagnostic methods, which helps in assessing the present status of the NCD epidemic and its likely future trajectory.
The findings from the ICMR-INDIAB study are expected to have far-reaching implications for public health policies and initiatives in India. State governments, which bear primary responsibility for healthcare delivery, could benefit from this study’s granular data in planning region-specific programs to prevent and manage NCDs. The extensive dataset from ICMR-INDIAB will help policymakers allocate resources more effectively, focusing on preventive healthcare, early diagnosis, and management of NCDs, he said.
ICMR plans to use insights from the ICMR-INDIAB study to foster collaboration with local governments, healthcare providers, and community leaders. He said that this multi-level collaboration aims to implement targeted interventions, promote healthy lifestyle modifications, and improve access to diagnostic and treatment services, particularly in underserved areas.

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