Wed Feb 05 11:38:44 UTC 2025: ## New Guidelines Aim to Curb India’s Diabetes Epidemic Through Primary Prevention
**Chennai, February 5, 2025** – A new set of clinical guidelines, published in *Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice*, offers a three-step plan for primary prevention of type 2 diabetes, particularly targeting India and Southeast Asia. Developed by an international expert group, led by Dr. A. Ramachandran and Dr. Nanditha of Dr. Ramachandran’s Diabetes Hospital and the India Diabetes Research Foundation in Chennai, the guidelines emphasize a proactive approach to combat the region’s escalating diabetes crisis.
The plan involves: 1) **Screening:** Identifying high-risk individuals using validated risk scores and considering factors like family history, gestational diabetes, and hypertension; 2) **Diagnosis:** Confirming prediabetes through specified fasting plasma glucose or HbA1c levels; and 3) **Personalized Intervention:** Implementing lifestyle modifications (diet, exercise) and, if necessary, medication like metformin.
The experts highlight the crucial role of primary care physicians in implementing these guidelines, given their access to at-risk populations. While acknowledging limited awareness of primary prevention among these physicians, the group stresses that raising awareness is a key step towards reducing diabetes incidence. The guidelines emphasize the cost-effectiveness of lifestyle changes and targeted medications in preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes, particularly relevant for Asian Indians who face a higher risk. The authors believe this approach represents a significant step towards mitigating the growing diabetes burden in India.
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