West Bengal faces a growing diabetes and metabolic health burden; experts urge early screening

Kolkata, 21.10.26: With diabetes, hypertension, obesity and abnormal cholesterol increasingly occurring together, doctors are urging people in West Bengal to look at metabolic health more holistically and prioritise early screening. The concern is particularly relevant in the state, where 13.7% of the population was found to have diabetes and another 23.5% to have prediabetes, according to findings from the ICMR-INDIAB study. The same study reported 42.4% prevalence of hypertension and 27% high cholesterol in West Bengal.
This means that a large proportion of the population is either already living with diabetes or has blood glucose levels that place them at heightened risk of progressing to the condition. The findings underscore the need to shift focus from treating diabetes only after diagnosis to earlier identification of metabolic risk factors and timely preventive intervention.
The burden is also visible in urban Kolkata. A community-based study among 388 adults aged 18–49 years in Kolkata found that 44.6% had metabolic syndrome. Central obesity was reported in 68.6%, while elevated fasting glucose, raised blood pressure and reduced HDL cholesterol were seen in 41.5%, 45.1% and 64.9% of participants, respectively.
Dr. Gaurab Bhaduri, Senior Consultant, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Apollo Sugar Clinic, Kolkata, said, “The growing burden of diabetes and prediabetes is a clear reminder that we must intervene much earlier in the disease journey. Prediabetes represents a critical window of opportunity, when timely improvements in diet, physical activity, weight management and regular monitoring can delay or even prevent progression to diabetes. Importantly, elevated blood sugar often develops without obvious symptoms, making regular screening essential, particularly for individuals with a family history of diabetes, excess weight, sedentary lifestyles or other metabolic risk factors. Diabetes prevention should therefore not be viewed solely as an individual responsibility, but as a wider public-health priority that requires greater awareness, earlier risk identification and sustained preventive action across communities and healthcare systems.”
Dr. P K Hazra, Head of Department of Cardiology, Manipal Hospital Dhakuria, Kolkata, said, “Metabolic disorders can have a significant impact on heart health. High blood sugar, abdominal obesity, hypertension and abnormal cholesterol often occur together, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. The findings from Kolkata highlight why we need to look at metabolic health more holistically, rather than focusing only on diabetes. Regular monitoring of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, along with maintaining a healthy weight and active lifestyle, can help identify and manage these risks early. For people living with diabetes or prediabetes, timely intervention and regular medical follow-up are important to reduce their long-term cardiovascular risk.”
Doctors recommend that individuals, particularly those with risk factors, periodically monitor blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol and waist circumference, alongside maintaining a physically active lifestyle and a balanced diet.