Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

'Disturbingly high' rates of diabetes in India, says study

India is facing an epidemic of diabetes and high blood pressure, often called "silent killers" because they lead to heart disease, said a report Monday involving more than 1.3 million people.

The rate of diabetes in India is over six percent, while around one quarter of people have high blood pressure, said the first nationally representative figures on the topic, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine.


The rates of diabetes and hypertension were particularly high among middle-aged and elderly people.

While these rates are lower than the United States and China, experts say a combination of widespread tobacco use, genetic susceptibility to diabetes and a lack of access to quality medical care are to blame.

"In middle-age to older adults across all geographic settings and socioeconomic groups in the country, the prevalence of both diabetes and hypertension were disturbingly high," said an accompanying editorial by Alka Kanaya of the University of California, San Francisco.

Overall, prevalence of diabetes was 6.1 percent among women and 6.5 percent among men.

For hypertension, it was 20 percent among women and 24.5 percent among men.

Young adults also had unexpectedly high rates of hypertension -- the rate was 12 percent among those aged 18-25.

"Hypertension was higher among adults under 45 than previously estimated and was higher than in Central and Eastern Europe, the region previously estimated to have the highest rates for young adults," said the report.

Whether rich or poor, all groups were similarly affected by diabetes and high blood pressure. Being wealthy was associated with only a modestly higher risk of diabetes, on the order of about three percent.

Among the poorest households in rural areas, the rate was also high -- 5.9 percent had diabetes and 30 percent had hypertension.

"Understanding how diabetes and hypertension prevalence varies within a country as large as India is essential for targeting of prevention, screening, and treatment services," said lead author Pascal Geldsetzer, a doctoral student in the Department of Global Health and Population.

The study was based on health data collected from 1,320,555 adults across India between 2012 and 2014, including plasma glucose and blood pressure measurements.

"India has a window of opportunity to invest in its health system to effectively tackle hypertension and diabetes -- both major killers," said Rifat Atun, co-senior author and professor of global health systems in the Department of Global Health and Population.

"However, because the epidemics are worsening rapidly, now is the time for urgent action."

India is home to more than a sixth of the world's population.

More For You

Human brain continues forming neurons

Neurogenesis, the process by which new neurons form in the brain

iStock

Human brain continues forming neurons well into old age, study finds

Key points

  • New neurons continue forming in the brain’s hippocampus into old age
  • Study confirms presence of neural progenitor cells in adults
  • DNA carbon dating and single-nucleus RNA sequencing were used
  • Research shows variation in neuron production between individuals
  • Findings could aid treatments for neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders

Human brain shows ongoing neuron formation into older age

A new study has confirmed that the human brain continues to produce new nerve cells well into late adulthood, challenging previous assumptions about age-related decline in neurogenesis. The findings, published in the journal Science, provide fresh insight into how adaptable the brain remains over a lifetime.

Neurogenesis, the process by which new neurons form in the brain, is known to occur in the hippocampus — a region involved in memory. While previous research has suggested that this process continues throughout life, there has been limited concrete evidence of the presence of neural progenitor cells in the adult brain.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kent County Show 2025

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who grew up in Brenchley

Getty Images

Kent County Show opens with royal visit from Duchess of Edinburgh

Key points:

  • Day one of the Kent County Show begins at Detling Showground near Maidstone
  • The Duchess of Edinburgh visits the event for the first time in 16 years
  • Organisers expect up to 70,000 visitors over the weekend
  • Farming and rural life are at the centre of the three-day programme
  • Highlights include live camel racing, equine sports, livestock displays and more

Kent County Show opens with royal visit

The Kent County Show returned to Detling near Maidstone on Friday, marking the start of a major three-day celebration of farming, food, and rural living. The event opened with a special visit from the Duchess of Edinburgh, who is attending for the first time in 16 years.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who grew up in Brenchley near Tunbridge Wells and serves as patron of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations (ASAO), met with farmers, equine exhibitors, and local businesses on her tour of the showground.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sri Aurobindo

Heehs’s biography is grounded in extensive archival research across France, England, India and Israel

AMG

Sri Aurobindo and the rise of the Asian century

Dinesh Sharma

My friend and colleague, the American historian Peter Heehs, who has lived in Pondicherry, India, for decades, recently published a compelling new biography, The Mother: A Life of Sri Aurobindo’s Collaborator (2025). Heehs previously authored The Lives of Sri Aurobindo (2008), which remains one of the most balanced and scholarly accounts of Aurobindo’s life.

According to Heehs, most previous biographies of the Mother were written for devotees and relied on secondary sources, often presenting her as a divine incarnation without critical engagement. “Such biographies are fine for those who see the Mother as a divine being,” Heehs said, “but they can be off-putting for readers who simply want to understand her life – as an artist, writer, spiritual teacher, and founder of the Ashram and Auroville.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Black women cancer risk

Serious public health challenges in the decades ahead

iStock

Study warns of rising uterine cancer rates, with Black women hardest hit

Key points

  • Uterine cancer cases and deaths are projected to rise significantly in the US by 2050.
  • Black women are expected to experience the highest increase in incidence-based mortality.
  • A new model predicts incidence rising to 86.9 cases per 100,000 for Black women and 74.2 for White women.
  • Researchers stress the urgent need for improved prevention and early detection strategies.

Sharp increase in uterine cancer predicted over next three decades

Uterine cancer, currently the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States, is projected to see a substantial rise in both cases and deaths by 2050, particularly among Black women. A new study led by researchers at Columbia University warns of worsening racial disparities in outcomes if preventative measures are not introduced.

This year alone, around 69,120 new cases of uterine cancer and nearly 14,000 deaths are expected in the United States. However, projections by the Columbia University research team, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, indicate a significant increase in both incidence and mortality over the next 30 years.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tesco Scotch Egg recall

Tesco has issued an urgent product recall for two batches of Wall’s Scotch Eggs

Tesco

Tesco recalls Wall’s Scotch Eggs over salmonella contamination

Key points

  • Tesco and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have issued an urgent recall for Wall’s Scotch Eggs.
  • Salmonella contamination has been confirmed in two batches with a use-by date of July 2, 2025.
  • Customers are advised not to eat the affected items and return them to any Tesco store for a full refund.
  • No other Wall’s products are affected by this recall.

Wall’s Scotch Eggs recalled due to salmonella risk

Tesco has issued an urgent product recall for two batches of Wall’s Scotch Eggs after salmonella contamination was confirmed. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) supported the decision and has advised customers to check their kitchens and dispose of or return the products immediately.

The recall applies specifically to Wall’s 2 Classic Scotch Eggs 226g and Wall’s The Classic Scotch Egg 113g, both with a use-by date of 2 July 2025. Customers who purchased either product are urged not to consume them due to the potential health risk.

Keep ReadingShow less