PANAJI
Goa is throwing up alarming numbers in statistics of new diabetes cases detected over the last two years, details provided by the government in the Goa legislative assembly indicate.
In the April 2022 to March 2023 period, the State has had 9,698 new diabetics adding to the books, nearly 25 each day. A year earlier (2021-22), the figure was lower at 7,175 new diabetes cases.
The 30-60 year age bracket was the most vulnerable last year with as many as 8,250 of the total 9,698 cases in this group last year.
Even the younger 21-30 age group has begun falling prey to this largely lifestyle related disease. There were 27 cases of people from this age group who were detected to be diabetic last year (2022-23) and the figure was one less at 26 the previous year.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane's written reply to an un-starred query states: "Factors such as urbanization, peri-urbanization, unhealthy lifestyle and increase in obesity, hypertension and dyslipidaemia have contributed to the significant increase in prevalence of diabetes in Goa."
The question was tabled by Pernem MLA Pravin Arlekar who had sought to know if any survey was carried out to identify the percentage of population in Goa affected by diabetes and whether any root cause has been found for the disease.
Fortunately, the trend witnessed in India's metros and B-towns where the trend of type-II diabetes being detected in teenagers is rising owing to unhealthy lifestyle and diet, hasn't shown up in Goa.
According to the reply furnished by Rane, there have been nil cases of diabetes detected in Goa among 10-21-year-olds in both the reporting years of 2021-22 and 2022-23.
