Whenever you go to your village, ask an elderly elder, what is this diabetes? Hardly anyone knows. 40 to 50 years ago, there was no mention of this disease anywhere, but today the situation is that every person is afraid that he may not have diabetes. This fear is more than the village in urban areas. People in cities also keep checking sugar levels and if they exceed 100 on an empty stomach, they get nervous, but till a few decades ago there was nothing like this.
Before 1970, there were no steak equipment to check diabetes. It was investigated by Urin test. Then it has “increased sugar in the body, there is no worry”. It was limited by saying this. But as scientists started more research on it, then it was found that increasing sugar is fatal for the body and it can also cause many other diseases. In such a situation, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Diabetes Data Group decided the definition of diabetes for the first time in the years 1979 and 1980.
Then (1979 and 1980) fasting blood sugar (empty stomach) is more than 140 mg/dl and more than 200 Mg/DL after eating was called diabetes. Then according to this parameter, 10 crore people worldwide were considered diabetes patients.
The scale of diabetes changed again in 1997
After 1979, in 1997 (American Diabetes Association ADA) changed the standard of sugar level again. This time the level of empty stomach was reduced from 140 to 126 mg/DL. Meaning, earlier people who considered themselves to be normal in 127 to 140 became diabetic.
This was followed by pre-diabetes in the year 2003. This was also given by American Diabetes Association. It said that people who have 100 to 125 Mg/DL on an empty stomach on an empty stomach are pre-diabetes. It is from here that people were alerted for the risk of diabetes and it was advised that pre-diabetes is a warning.
2009 and 2010 ray HBA1C Was included in the test list. Both ADA and WHO considered HBA1C level more than 6.5% diabetes. Then, like the sugar level, HBA1C also became part of diagnosis of diabetes. In this way, tests started in three ways.
Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS)
Post-Prandu Sugar (2 hours after meals)
HBA1C Test
New guidelines came in 2023
The Myoclinic released the guidelines regarding this
Fasting sugar test (empty stomach)
Normal-99 Mg/DL
Diabetes – 125 mg/dl or more
Dinner
Normal: up to 140 mg/dl
Diabetes: More than 200 Mg/dl
Note : Not only two times, this sugar level should come in the test 2 to three days per day.
Why did this change in the sugar level year after year?
HOD in the Department of Medicine at Lady Harding Medical College and Associate Hospitals, Delhi. Hi Ghotkar says That Doctors from all over the world follow the guidelines of the World Health Organization and the American Diabetes Association for diabetes.
One reason to reduce the parameter was that people who had more than 140 sugar level (empty stomach) in their body, they saw the risk of heart disease and kidney damage. To prevent this, it was reduced from 140 to 126 and then it was reduced to 100, so that people would be cautiousHowever, more changes were made in empty stomach standard only. The standards after eating were not changed much. Or say that there was a difference of 19-20 in it.
However, the opinion of a doctor of the Department of Medicine in Delhi AIIMS is quite different. On the condition of anonymity during the conversation, the doctor said that Changing the scale of sugar level was the connivance of the American Diabetes Association and Pharma companies so that more people need medicines and tests and increase the sales of medicines.
Diabetes cases are increasing in the country
Dr. says that not every patient with more than 100 sugar on an empty stomach is diabetic. If it is inside 140, then there is no danger. This can also be controlled by only lifestyle change, medicine is not necessary. Similarly, pre-diabetes is also not a measure.
Dr. says thatThis time the debate has arisen that diabetes is more pharma-driving term than a medical term. So that people panic and start eating medicines. This also happened and sales increased significantly.
What was the effect on the sale of drugs?
Sales of drugs like metformin have increased rapidly. In 1994, this drug was approved by USFDA. Since then, its annual sales in 2024 have reached $ 4.17 billion. The reason is that most of the diabetes patients around the world eat this medicine. If the scale of sugar level decreased, the patients also increased. Their increase increased sales of medicines.
What is the picture of diabetes worldwide
International Diabates Federation released these figures about diabetes worldwide.
58.9 crore people have diabetes (9 out of 1) diabetes (between 20-79 years)
By 2050, they will be 85.3 crore (8 out of 1).