Diabetes has become a silent epidemic in India, with alarming statistics revealed in a recent study published in The Lancet. The paper highlights the staggering number of adults with diabetes worldwide and the growing challenges India faces in tackling this disease. While much of the discourse focuses on complications and prevention, there is a glaring gap: the practical implementation of prevention strategies. This blog explores why this gap exists and what steps can be taken to truly help individuals prevent, manage, or reverse diabetes effectively.
Why Prevention Efforts Are Falling Short
Healthcare professionals, researchers, and associations frequently emphasize lifestyle changes as the cornerstone of diabetes prevention. But here’s the reality: many patients do no know what “lifestyle change” means.
When people hear the term, they associate it with switching to “diabetic-friendly” products — sugar-free substitutes, “diabetic atta,” or oats and millet-based diets. Flooded with marketing gimmicks, they believe these products are solutions. However, these are often superficial fixes, not long-term solutions to control or reverse diabetes.
Patients diagnosed with prediabetes are told, “It’s just borderline,” and are given no further guidance. Those already on medications think their diabetes is “normal” because it is “under control” with pills. This narrative creates a dangerous complacency that allows the disease to progress unchecked.
Medication vs. True Management
Managing diabetes has become synonymous with increasing medication doses, switching to insulin, or even relying on insulin pumps. While medicines and insulin are lifesaving in severe cases, they are not a solution to the root problem. Simply controlling blood sugar levels with medication does not address the underlying lifestyle and dietary factors causing the disease.
Even more troubling is that many healthcare professionals do not educate patients on how their diet, sleep, and stress levels impact their blood sugar. The absence of personalised care and proper guidance leads patients to believe there’s no alternative but to rely on medicines.
The Need for a Team-Based Approach
Reversing or managing diabetes effectively requires more than just a doctor’s prescription or a dietitian’s chart. It demands a team-based approach that integrates education, guidance, and consistent support for patients. This includes:
Educating Patients: Patients need clear, actionable advice on how each aspect of their lifestyle—diet, physical activity, sleep, and stress—affects their blood sugar levels.
Handholding and Monitoring: Many individuals are willing to make changes but need someone to guide them. Regular check-ins, visual feedback from tools like Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM), and personal motivation can make a significant difference.
Customized Lifestyle Plans: Generalized advice like “exercise more” or “eat healthy” isn’t enough. Healthcare professionals must invest time to create personalized plans based on an individual’s unique circumstances.
Practical Guidance: Instead of prescribing generic diet plans, patients need help understanding how to make sustainable changes to their daily routines. This includes identifying real foods, avoiding processed alternatives, and adopting balanced meals that support long-term health.
Use of Technology: Tools like CGM can provide immediate feedback, helping patients see the real-time impact of their choices. This motivates them to stick to healthier habits.
Stress and Sleep Management: Stress and poor sleep are often overlooked contributors to high blood sugar. Addressing these issues holistically is essential for effective diabetes management.
Breaking the Myth of Quick Fixes
The market is flooded with “solutions” that promise to help manage diabetes. From low-glycemic rice to sugar-free biscuits, these products create a false sense of security. Instead of tackling the root cause, they encourage dependency on external products.
True prevention and management of diabetes are not about quick fixes. They require consistent, informed effort from both patients and healthcare providers. Unfortunately, most healthcare professionals do not dedicate the time needed to educate and guide patients.
What Needs to Change?
To truly address the diabetes epidemic, we need a paradigm shift in healthcare:
Patient-Centered Care: The healthcare system must move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and focus on individual patient needs.
Preventive Healthcare Focus: Governments and diabetes associations must prioritize preventive care rather than just disease management.
Healthcare Teams for Diabetes: A multi-disciplinary team involving doctors, nutritionists, physiotherapists, and mental health professionals can provide comprehensive care.
Public Awareness Campaigns: Large-scale education campaigns should focus on teaching people how to prevent diabetes through proper diet, exercise, and stress management.
Affordable Access to Tools: Tools like CGM should be made affordable and accessible to help patients monitor their progress and stay motivated.
Incentivizing Healthcare Providers: Healthcare professionals should be incentivized to spend time educating patients rather than relying solely on medications.
A Call to Action
If associations, healthcare providers, and governments are serious about reversing diabetes, the focus must shift from research papers to practical solutions. Patients need more than lectures on lifestyle changes—they need actionable plans, proper guidance, and ongoing support.
Diabetes isn’t just a disease of blood sugar; it’s a lifestyle disorder. Treating it requires addressing the root causes rather than masking symptoms with medicines. With the right guidance and teamwork, we can reduce the burden of diabetes and its complications. It’s time to stop managing diseases and start building a healthier future.
Let’s move from disease care to true healthcare—because patients deserve more than just prescriptions. They deserve a chance to reclaim their health.
At ESCASO, we transform diabetes care by offering a holistic approach that integrates real-time patient monitoring, precision nutrition, and advanced physiotherapy protocols. Our methods are scientifically designed to improve glycemic control, enhance oxygen consumption, and boost glucose metabolism. We focus on reducing HbA1C levels, lowering insulin resistance, and increasing both functional and aerobic capacity of the muscles. Suitable for individuals of any age, weight, or ability, our program ensures personalized care for lasting health improvements.
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Healthy Regards,
Grinto Davy Chirakekkaren
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist |
Clinical Nutritionist |
Health & Wellness Coach
Founder, ESCASO® GDDiET® |
Author, Escaso Code
References:
Urgent action needed as global diabetes cases increase four-fold over past decades
Diabetes in adults nearly doubles worldwide, study suggests
The Lancet: Over 800 million adults living with diabetes, more than half not receiving treatment, global study suggests
Diabetes in India
https://www.who.int/india/health-topics/mobile-technology-for-preventing-ncds
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