A six-city survey conducted on women has revealed that although the awareness levels on diabetes are high among them, they have not done much to deal with it or learn more about it.
The survey involving 1,200 women respondents from Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Ahmedabad was conducted by pharmaceutical company USV Ltd — which manufactures oral anti-diabetes drugs — to find out the level of awareness among women on diabetes. Traditionally, diabetes has not been spoken of in the context of women but the fact is they are affected significantly.
The findings showed that most women had not tested for diabetes and they were irregular in eating. Many said they hardly exercised.
The findings indicated that though women were the key decision makers on eating habits, consulting doctors, and other things related to the family’s health, they tended to neglect themselves.
76% of the women surveyed said they were unaware of the birth defects that could occur during pregnancy as the manifestation of diabetes. 37% said a healthy body was the result of eating proper meals regularly.
46 % said balanced eating habits were important in controlling diabetes. 45% of women said they skipped meals at least once a week or more. 27% of women believed that sugar regulation was the only requirement for controlling diabetes and 53.8% said they were unaware about the factors essential for controlling diabetes.
When suspected for diabetes, 42% women said they would consult their family doctor and 37.7% said they relied on the internet and friends. 62.5% women said regular yoga and adequate exercise could help in controlling diabetes. However, 35 % agreed that they lacked exercise in their daily routine.
“Women have taken charge in all aspects and are leading by example. When it comes to health, women should take the power and have the right to a healthy future too,” Prashant Tewari, Managing Director, USV Limited, said. “A woman should not ignore her health, as this affects not only her but the entire family. Ignorance can have an adverse impact on the family’s overall health condition too,” he added.
According to the World Economic Forum, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that 33% of adults with diabetes in India are undiagnosed, preventing proper management of the disease.
Common factors contributing to the onset of type 2 diabetes include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and being overweight. The International Diabetes Federation has estimated that by 2030, the number of diabetics in India will rise to 80 million.
“Through this survey, we wanted to bring awareness among women. Knowledge, understanding, and applying the same in your behaviour can help in diabetes management and in leading a normal life,” Mr. Tewari said.
