With half of Kashmir, Ladakh obese, diabetes rising every year: Study

Srinagar, Nov 14: One in every two adults in Kashmir and Ladakh is obese, with nearly 8 out of every 100 having diabetes and 10 more classified as pre-diabetic. In addition, 30 out of every 100 residents are living with hypertension.These findings come from the latest data of the ICMR-INDIAB study, released on Thursday on the occasion of Word Diabetes Day at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar.The study highlights a troubling trend of increasing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Kashmir and Ladakh.Data about the Jammu region had already been released last month and showed a higher prevalence (18.9 percent) of diabetes in the population.The first-of-its-kind study reveals a significant region-wise and urban-rural divide in disease prevalence, pointing to distinct differences in lifestyle, healthcare access, and socio-economic conditions.Overall, 7.8 percent of the population in Kashmir and Ladakh has diabetes.