‘Gujarat, MP report the highest burden'
BHUBANESWAR: Heart attacks and strokes are striking early and India is in the grip of a health emergency. As per a new global study, there has been a staggering uptick in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across the south Asia region (SAR), with India shouldering a disproportionate burden.
Researchers from seven universities and institutes of repute, including Rourkela-based National Institute of Technology (NIT), Amaravati-based SRM University, and US-based Kent State University and Harvard University, found that NCDs such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases have emerged as the leading causes of death and disability, surpassing infectious diseases.
The study, which analysed the Global Burden of Disease data 2021, said India recorded the highest age-standardised prevalence rate (ASDPR) of NCDs in the region, with 92,134 per one lakh population, well above the global average. While age-standardised death rates decreased marginally by 1% between 2010 and 2021, the absolute number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost to NCDs continued to rise, driven largely by factors like rapid population growth, ageing demographics, and sedentary lifestyle.
Among the states, Gujarat reported the highest ASDPR of 93,527, followed by Madhya Pradesh (93,107), Assam (92,649), Chhattisgarh (92,555), Bihar (92,547), Jharkhand (92,247), Telangana (92,208), Tripura (92,182), Meghalaya (92,169), Uttar Pradesh (92,064) and Uttarakhand (92,013). The ASDPR in the rest of the states is below the national average.
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