World Diabetes Day 2025: New data warns of rising diabetes among young Indians; Wellness Index flat – CNBC TV18

Report on India’s Diabetes Challenge and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Introduction: Assessing National Health in Line with SDG 3

On World Diabetes Day 2025, new data from multiple stakeholders, including ICICI Lombard, Hinduja Foundation, and Mahajan Imaging & Labs, reveals critical challenges to India’s progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). While the national wellness score has stagnated, a significant rise in diabetes and metabolic disorders, particularly among younger demographics, threatens to undermine public health targets. This report analyzes these findings through the lens of the SDGs, highlighting areas of concern and progress related to health, equality, and sustainable development.

National Health and Well-being (SDG 3): A Stagnating Landscape

Key Wellness Indicators and NCD Prevalence

The India Wellness Index 2025 indicates a national wellness score of 72, which has remained unchanged for four consecutive years. This stagnation poses a direct challenge to achieving SDG Target 3.4, which aims to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

• Diabetes is now reported by 17% of Indians, ranking it among the top five lifestyle ailments.
• Individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes score only 70 on the Wellness Index, compared to 79 for those without, illustrating the profound impact of NCDs on overall well-being.
• Contributing factors include high stress reported by one in three Indians and constant fatigue affecting 41% of the population, both of which exacerbate metabolic strain.

Demographic Disparities and the Challenge to Equality (SDG 5 & SDG 10)

Generational and Gender-Based Wellness Gaps

The data reveals significant disparities across demographic groups, impacting progress on SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

• Gen Z Vulnerability: This cohort shows a decline across all wellness pillars, including physical, mental, and social well-being, highlighting an emerging inequality affecting the nation’s youth.
• Progress for Women (SDG 5): Women demonstrate measurable improvements in physical fitness, financial literacy, and workplace balance, indicating positive strides in health awareness and empowerment.
• Resilience in Gen X: This generation appears most resilient, reporting fewer mental health symptoms and stronger lifestyle discipline.

Addressing Health Inequalities (SDG 10)

The Hinduja Foundation’s Type 1 Diabetes Initiative (T1DI) exemplifies a targeted intervention to reduce health inequalities. By supporting over 1,000 underprivileged children, the initiative directly contributes to SDG 10.

• Reduced hospitalisations and improved HbA1c levels from 10.4% to 7.8%.
• Enabled access to advanced technology like insulin pumps.
• Improved school attendance and overall quality of life for children with T1D.

Economic and Urban Health Dimensions (SDG 8 & SDG 11)

Corporate Wellness and Decent Work (SDG 8)

The findings highlight a decline in the well-being of corporate employees, which presents a challenge to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). A healthy workforce is essential for sustainable economic productivity.

• Corporate employees lag behind the national average in physical, financial, and mental wellness.
• Two-thirds of employees struggle with work-life balance, leading to exhaustion and strained relationships.
• High-pressure work environments are recognized as a risk to heart health, yet symptoms are often ignored, contributing to early-onset metabolic diseases.

Urban Health Challenges (SDG 11)

The report, which surveyed 19 urban centres, points to specific challenges in achieving SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). The West region, including metros like Mumbai and Pune, lags in wellness scores, indicating a need for improved urban health infrastructure and policies.

Behavioral Factors and Pathways to Prevention

Nutritional and Lifestyle Contradictions

Inconsistent health behaviors hinder preventive efforts crucial for SDG 3. While 66% of Indians claim to follow a balanced diet, high intake of sugar, salt, and fat persists. This gap between awareness and action underscores the need for effective public health education.

Early Diagnostics and Proactive Health Management

Diagnostic data from Mahajan Imaging & Labs reveals an alarming trend of early-onset metabolic dysfunction among adults under 40, reinforcing the urgency for preventive screening.

• 38% of fasting glucose tests showed abnormal results.
• 20% of HbA1c tests were abnormal.
• 35% of post-prandial glucose tests were abnormal.

This data supports the call for annual metabolic screening for all individuals aged 25 and above to facilitate early detection and management, a key strategy for achieving SDG 3.

Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration for Health (SDG 17)

Partnerships for the Goals

The collective insights from an insurer, a philanthropic foundation, and a diagnostics network demonstrate the power of multi-stakeholder partnerships (SDG 17) in addressing complex health challenges. This collaborative approach is essential for developing integrated solutions that move from reactive care to proactive living.

Recommendations for Achieving Health-Related SDGs

1. Prioritize Preventive Healthcare: Focus interventions on youth and urban populations to mitigate the rising tide of NCDs and secure long-term progress on SDG 3.
2. Strengthen Corporate Wellness: Implement robust workplace wellness programs to create healthier work environments in line with SDG 8.
3. Promote Health Equity: Scale up initiatives that provide access to care for underprivileged communities to advance SDG 10.
4. Integrate Early Screening: Establish early and routine metabolic screening as a national public health strategy to enable proactive disease management.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses issues related to health, well-being, inequality, and workplace conditions, which directly connect to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The following SDGs are addressed:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This is the central theme of the article. It extensively covers the rising prevalence of diabetes, a non-communicable disease (NCD), worsening metabolic health, and mental health challenges like stress and depression symptoms. It also discusses preventive care, diagnostics, and treatment initiatives.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The article highlights gender-specific differences in health and wellness. It notes that “Women and Gen X, in contrast, show measurable improvements” in areas like physical fitness and financial literacy, but also points out that “vulnerability is highest among millennials and corporate women” for depression symptoms, indicating specific challenges faced by women.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The section “Corporate India Under Strain” directly addresses workplace wellness. It discusses how high-pressure work environments, poor work-life balance, and stress contribute to declining physical, financial, and mental wellness among employees, connecting to the goal of promoting safe and secure working environments.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article identifies several inequalities in health outcomes. These include a “generational divide” where Gen Z is most vulnerable, a “regional divide” with the West lagging behind the North, and socio-economic disparities, as evidenced by the Hinduja Foundation’s initiative targeting “underprivileged children” with Type 1 Diabetes.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. The article’s entire focus on the rising prevalence of diabetes (an NCD), the call for “preventive care, early screening, balanced diet,” and the data on stress and depression directly align with this target.
2. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services… The article mentions the “growing role of health insurance in improving wellness” and how consumers are seeking better coverage. Furthermore, the Hinduja Foundation’s initiative providing comprehensive care, including insulin pumps and support to underprivileged children, is a clear example of working towards access to quality healthcare for vulnerable populations.
3. Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers… The article’s findings that “73% of Indians believe that high-pressure environments impact heart health” and that “Two-thirds of Indians struggle with work-life balance” highlight the need to create healthier work environments, which is central to this target.
4. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex… or economic or other status. The analysis of wellness scores across different age groups (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X), genders, and regions points to existing inequalities in health outcomes that need to be addressed to achieve this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicators for Target 3.4 (NCDs and Mental Health):
  • Prevalence of diabetes: The statistic that “17% of Indians now report diabetes.”
  • Metabolic health markers: Diagnostic data showing abnormal results in “38% of fasting glucose tests,” “20% of HbA1c tests,” and “35% of post-prandial glucose tests” among young adults.
  • Treatment effectiveness: The improvement of HbA1c levels in children from “10.4% to 7.8%” through the T1DI initiative.
  • Prevalence of mental health symptoms: The finding that “Indians report an average of 1.3 depression symptoms.”
• Indicators for Target 3.8 (Universal Health Coverage):
  • Health insurance adoption: The article notes an “increased adoption of health insurance and wellness-linked benefits.”
  • Reduction in hospitalizations: The T1DI initiative “significantly reduced hospitalisations” among children with Type 1 diabetes, indicating improved disease management and access to care.
• Indicators for Target 8.8 (Workplace Wellness):
  • Work-life balance prevalence: The statistic that “Two-thirds of Indians struggle with work-life balance.”
  • Employee wellness levels: The fact that “Corporate employees show a significant lag compared to the national average across physical, financial, and mental wellness markers.”
• Indicators for Target 10.2 (Reduced Inequalities):
  • Disaggregated wellness scores: The India Wellness Index score (72) can be disaggregated by age (Gen Z’s decline), gender (women’s improvement), and region (North vs. West) to track inequalities in well-being.

4. Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cnbctv18.com