Diabetics who get their blood glucose levels checked regularly are more likely to see an improvement in their condition, experts claim.
According to a research conducted by a team at Healthians, a Gurgaon-based health check up service, rate of incidence of diabetes in the National Capital Region is as high as 39 per cent for people above 25 years of age.
Diabetes is a chronic illness in which the body is unable to control its blood glucose level. The condition may also lead to heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, amputations etc.
However, the data shows that regular monitoring can improve diabetic conditions, such as fasting glucose levels. The team found that more frequent monitoring leads to a better improvement rate.
"Regular monitoring has a huge psychological impact that motivates a person to take action," said Dr Walia Murshida Huda, Head of Wellness Team at Healthians.
"Tracking acts like a reminder. It alerts and prompts a person to do more for their health. Lifestyle changes and dietary control can effectively reverse diabetes," Huda said.
The analysis is based on more than five lakh glucose tests and over 80,000 glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) tests performed by across Delhi and NCR in 2017.
According to the research, among those who monitored glucose levels twice a year, only seven per cent people saw an improvement.
On the other hand, people reporting a marked improvement in their sugar levels rose to 41 per cent when a glucose test was repeated once every two months.
"People who get their blood glucose levels checked regularly are more aware of the disease and its complications," said Dr Vikramjeet Singh, Senior Consultant of Internal Medicine at Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital in New Delhi.
"They achieve good control because checking blood glucose regularly means adaptation in diet, medicines prescribed by doctor and going for consultation at regular intervals, there is better compliance of medicine schedule that keeps blood sugar level under check," said Singh, who was not involved in the research.
India is the diabetic capital of the world. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) 2016 data, 7.8 per cent of the Indian population suffers from diabetes.
The International Diabetes Federation projects that the number of Indians with diabetes will soar to 134 million by 2045.
"People in Delhi NCR are known for their love for food. Moreover, due to a stressful life, growing pollution, traffic woes and decreasing leisure time, more and more people are adopting a sedentary lifestyle," Huda said.
"The main cause of diabetes earlier used to be genetic. But today it has become one of the leading lifestyle ailments," she added.
