Chennai, Mumbai and Bengaluru rate highest in Hypertension and Diabetes

A new study by Hyderabad-based eKincare, India's fastest growing technology-led healthcare startup, shows that diabetes and hypertension are becoming increasingly common among young professionals in top-tier Indian cities. With strategic partners in over 2000 locations in the country, eKincare's AI-powered 'personal health assistant' reads medical data from health records and various healthcare interventions, predicts health risks and provides timely personalised recommendations to beat those risks.

The study revealed that young professionals in Chennai lead the most sedentary lifestyle (56.7%), with those in Bengaluru (47.3%), Hyderabad (38.7%) and Mumbai (27.4%) following suit. The prevalence of obesity was found to be highest in Mumbai (33.5%), followed by Chennai (30%), Hyderabad (24.4%) and Bengaluru (17%).

When it comes to smoking, Mumbai records the highest percentage of smokers (7.6%), followed closely by Bengaluru (7.3%), Chennai (6.8%) and Hyderabad (6.3%). Studies show that even occasional smoking can increase the risk of hypertension and diabetes. Interestingly, Mumbai tops the list of occasional smokers as well, with 11.1 percent of the respondents claiming that they don?t smoke often. Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad are not too far behind at 10.1 percent, 9.9 percent and 9.5 percent respectively.

A similar trend is seen in alcohol consumption. Mumbai records the highest number of people who consume alcohol frequently (4.9 percent) as well as occasionally (46.6 percent). The number of occasional alcohol drinkers is significantly higher than those who drink alcohol regularly in Bengaluru (3.8 percent and 44.4 percent), Hyderabad (3.4 percent and 38.5 percent) and Chennai (2.8 percent and 35.9 percent) as well.

Kiran Kalakuntla, Founder and CEO, eKincare, said, ?Our lifestyles are changing, and so are the health risks. Young professionals, in their 20s and 30s, are battling lifestyle diseases like diabetes and hypertension. The key is to identify the risk factors and ensure timely intervention to reduce complications that can lead to morbidity and ever-increasing healthcare expenditure. Not many people realise that even occasional smoking and alcohol consumption can significantly increase the risk of hypertension and diabetes. The need of the hour is to prevent and predict the onset of these health conditions.