Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A recent health survey of the city has uncovered a disturbing trend among the city's youth: one in every four young adults, aged 18 to 30, is in the pre-diabetes stage. This alarming statistic is part of a broader health crisis, with many young people already battling diseases that are typically seen in older adults.
On the eve of International Youth Day, Free Press accessed the health survey report “Health of Indore”, in which over 30,000 young individuals were examined and found that, in addition to the high pre-diabetes rate, 7.34 per cent have thyroid problems.
Over 10 percent are at risk of liver disease, with elevated SGPT levels, while 39.5 per cent have high cholesterol, putting them at risk for heart-related conditions. Furthermore, 34 per cent of the surveyed youth suffer from high blood pressure, and 33 per cent have a high body mass index (BMI), with 18 per cent classified as obese.
Dr Vinita Kothari, addressing the survey results, expressed grave concern about the health of the city’s younger population. She attributed the rise in these conditions to deteriorating lifestyle habits, including poor diet, lack of exercise, and increased stress.
"Today's youth are adopting unhealthy habits like smoking, alcohol, and tobacco use, which are contributing to the early onset of diseases," Dr Kothari stated, emphasising the need for immediate lifestyle changes. The survey also highlighted a worrying trend in cancer cases among the youth, with the number of young cancer patients increasing by 8 per cent annually. The government cancer hospital reports that 40 per cent of its patients suffer from head and neck cancer, primarily due to tobacco use.
Survey report states
Test Normal Abnormal (in percentage)
Pre-diabetes 75 25
Serum TSH 92.66 7.34
Serum creatinine 82.21 1.79
Serum (SGPT) 89.83 10.17
