Health and Me

Ishita Srivastava

India Suffers Second-Highest Economic Burden Globally Due to Diabetes, Study Finds

<span><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/diabetes">Diabetes</a></span> isn't just costing Indians their lifelong savings, it's also costing the country INT11.4 trillion. 

According to a Nature Medicine study, <span>India</span> faces the second highest economic burden due to this chronic condition. Only the United States ranks higher, with costs touching INT 16.5 trillion, while China comes in third at INT 11 trillion.

While excluding informal care provided by family members, the global costs comes around INT 10 trillion which is about 0.2 per cent of the world’s annual gross domestic product (GDP). 

However, if informal care is factored in, costs goes up to INT152 trillion or 1.7 per cent of the world’s yearly GDP, as per the study. (An international dollar, or INT$, is a statistical unit that has the same purchasing power as a US dollar).

The scientists estimated that the economic impact of diabetes was much more than Alzheimer’s disease or cancer in the top three countries. 

<h2>The <span rel="noindex"><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/diabetes">Diabetes</a> Crisis</span> In India </h2>

Diabetes is a chronic condition affecting several aspects of physical and mental <span>health</span>. It occurs when either the body can’t make enough insulin or can’t use it effectively, which impairs several functions.

Often referred to as the 'Diabetes capital of the world', over 100 million people across India suffer from the chronic condition while another 136 million are living with prediabetes.

According to <a href="https://pharmeasy.in/research/diabetes" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" rel= "noopener nofollow noreferrer" target= "_blank">Pharmeasy 2025 Diabetes Report</a>, one in two people show high blood sugar levels when tested and over 90 percent of reports with high blood sugar also showed abnormality in one or the other parameters for liver, lipid, heart or thyroid issues.

Also known as a '<span>Silent Killer</span>', diabetes can develop and progress quietly in the body, often without clear or early symptoms. Multiple studies show that over 50 percent of people with diabetes in India are undiagnosed or unaware of their condition. 

When left undiagnosed and untreated, diabetes can cause severe complications across the body including heart disease, kidney damage or vision loss. These complications disproportionately affect vulnerable parts of  the population, especially those in rural areas without access to proper testing and treatment. 

Despite the growing economic burden, India faces systemic challenges in addressing diabetes, including inadequate healthcare infrastructure, low public awareness and fragmented policy responses.

<h2>What Did The Study Find?</h2>Researchers, including those from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and the Vienna University of Economics and Business in Austria, calculated the economic impact of diabetes across 204 countries from 2020 to 2050. 

They evaluated costs based on medical expenses,  productivity losses and caregiving. 

While the burden in the US is largely due to high treatment costs and loss of physical capital, the high costs are mainly driven by the sheer number of people affected in India and China, the researchers said.

Author Klaus Prettner, professor of macroeconomics and digitalization at the Vienna University of Economics and Business noted of the results: "Caregivers often drop out of the labor market, at least partially, which creates additional economic costs."

"This is a stark illustration of how medical treatment regimes for chronic diseases such as diabetes are accessible to high income countries only," co-author Michael Kuhn, acting economic frontiers research group leader at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, added.

Based on the results, the scientists said promoting healthier lifestyle, regular physical activity and a balanced diet is the most effective way to prevent diabetes and reduce its economic impact in each country in the long run. 

Health Conditions A-Z

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Diabetes isn't just costing Indians their lifelong savings, it's also costing the country INT11.4 trillion. According to a Nature Medicine study, India faces the second highest economic burden due to this chronic condition. Only the United States ranks higher, with costs touching INT 16.5 trillion, while China comes in third at INT 11 trillion.While excluding informal care provided by family members, the global costs comes around INT 10 trillion which is about 0.2 per cent of the world’s annual gross domestic product (GDP). However, if informal care is factored in, costs goes up to INT152 trillion or 1.7 per cent of the world’s yearly GDP, as per the study. (An international dollar, or INT$, is a statistical unit that has the same purchasing power as a US dollar).The scientists estimated that the economic impact of diabetes was much more than Alzheimer’s disease or cancer in the top three countries. The Diabetes Crisis In India Diabetes is a chronic condition affecting several aspects of physical and mental health. It occurs when either the body can’t make enough insulin or can’t use it effectively, which impairs several functions.Often referred to as the 'Diabetes capital of the world', over 100 million people across India suffer from the chronic condition while another 136 million are living with prediabetes.According to Pharmeasy 2025 Diabetes Report, one in two people show high blood sugar levels when tested and over 90 percent of reports with high blood sugar also showed abnormality in one or the other parameters for liver, lipid, heart or thyroid issues.Also known as a 'Silent Killer', diabetes can develop and progress quietly in the body, often without clear or early symptoms. Multiple studies show that over 50 percent of people with diabetes in India are undiagnosed or unaware of their condition. When left undiagnosed and untreated, diabetes can cause severe complications across the body including heart disease, kidney damage or vision loss. These complications disproportionately affect vulnerable parts of  the population, especially those in rural areas without access to proper testing and treatment. Despite the growing economic burden, India faces systemic challenges in addressing diabetes, including inadequate healthcare infrastructure, low public awareness and fragmented policy responses.What Did The Study Find?Researchers, including those from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and the Vienna University of Economics and Business in Austria, calculated the economic impact of diabetes across 204 countries from 2020 to 2050. They evaluated costs based on medical expenses,  productivity losses and caregiving. While the burden in the US is largely due to high treatment costs and loss of physical capital, the high costs are mainly driven by the sheer number of people affected in India and China, the researchers said.Author Klaus Prettner, professor of macroeconomics and digitalization at the Vienna University of Economics and Business noted of the results: "Caregivers often drop out of the labor market, at least partially, which creates additional economic costs.""This is a stark illustration of how medical treatment regimes for chronic diseases such as diabetes are accessible to high income countries only," co-author Michael Kuhn, acting economic frontiers research group leader at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, added.Based on the results, the scientists said promoting healthier lifestyle, regular physical activity and a balanced diet is the most effective way to prevent diabetes and reduce its economic impact in each country in the long run. 