Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday said the spread of Type 2 diabetes mellitus is assuming epidemic proportions in India.

Earlier, this disease was confined to the affluent and in cities but now its prevalence in rural areas is alarming, he said.

The Union Minister was addressing the gathering after launching the Rural Diabetes Prevention and Control Campaign in village Purana Ramnagar of Varanasi district, a Village Adoption Program under the aegis of Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI) – Uttar Pradesh Chapter.

Terming the fast spread of Diabetes in the villages as a matter of grave concern, Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also a Professor of Medicine and a renowned Diabetologist, said this has prompted a mass campaign for the prevention of the disease in rural areas.

“It was found most appropriate to make a beginning from the auspicious city of ancient and holy place of Varanasi,” he said.

The disease, hitherto identified as afflicting mostly the rich and elite due to their sedentary lifestyle and a phenomenon prevalent largely in cities, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the probable causes of its upsurge in rural India is a result of commonality of eating habits such as rising penchant for fast foods, more automation in agriculture and a resultant lack of physical activity.

Lauding the efforts of RSSDI for taking this initiative towards diabetes prevention and management in rural India, he applauded the efforts quoting ICMR-INDIAB Study, which says UP has 18 per cent of its population in pre-diabetes stage.

“Such a large population, on the verge of being diabetic, can only be prevented if we start working for prevention in villages in the vicinity of big cities and progressing fast to urbanization. The idea of choosing Ramnagar for this initiative seems appropriate,” he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh also appreciated the efforts done by the RSSDI UP Chapter by adopting four villages in Barabanki in 2019 where people’s lives are better and diabetes control is improved.

“This encourages us to continue efforts in the same direction, in fact, in a more intensive manner,” he said.