According to the International Diabetes Federation, Diabetes Atlas sixth edition, 2013, the number of diabetics in India has grown from 50.8 million in 2010 to 65.1 million in 2013. The scary news, if the Federation’s 2012 report is to be believed, is that India will cross the 100 million mark by 2030. The picture is far from rosy. With World Diabetes Day around the corner on November 14, we take a look at what we can do to combat the disease.

Apart from a healthy mix of cereals and pulses, diabetics should have  fresh vegetables every day

Diabetes or diabetes mellitus is a medical condition where the person has a high blood glucose level (blood sugar), either because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or body cells do not respond to the insulin in the body (Type 2 diabetes). According to Dr Manoj Chada, Consultant Endocrinologist and Diabetologist at Hinduja Healthcare, the common symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination and hunger pangs, fatigue, unusual weight gain/loss, cuts and bruises that do not heal and numbness in hand and feet. “However, any Indian above 30 years, especially with a family history of diabetes, should get himself/herself tested because most symptoms of diabetes are silent and tend to be ignored,” he adds.