World Diabetes Day: One in two people tested in India had abnormal or elevated blood sugar levels, according to an analysis of lab reports by online pharmacy PharmEasy, released ahead of World Diabetes Day. The report, Diabetes: The Silent Killer Sweeping Across India, points to a sharp rise in diabetes and prediabetes nationwide.
Drawing on more than 40 lakh diagnostic test results and 1.9 crore medicine orders from January 2021 to September 2025 across 29 states and Union Territories, the analysis found over 90% of those with high sugar also had irregularities in other health parameters, including liver, lipid, heart, or thyroid function. Among individuals who retested within six months, sugar levels improved by 22%, suggesting regular monitoring aids control.
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The data show a gender gap: 51.9% of men and 45.43% of women registered high readings. While men tend to develop diabetes earlier, women see a steeper rise after menopause. Regional differences were marked, with higher rates in southern and coastal states, Puducherry (63%), Odisha (61%), Tamil Nadu (56%), and Goa (54%), compared with northern states such as Himachal Pradesh (41%).
One in three HbA1c tests fell in the diabetic range, and one in four in the prediabetic range, meaning more than half of those tested had irregular sugar levels. Elevated readings were also seen in younger adults under 30, with prevalence peaking after 60, where eight in 10 had diabetic or prediabetic results.
Comorbidities were common: one in four with high sugar had thyroid disorders, one in three had liver issues, nearly half showed kidney impairment, and about 90% had abnormal cholesterol.