Kakinada, Nov 15th: Experts feel that improved nutrition, regular exercise, early diagnosis, better education besides prompt treatment are the only ways to curb diabetes, which has become a health hazard in India. Participating at the 18th annual scientific meet organized by the Andhra Pradesh Diabetes Federation (APDF) here on Sunday, experts said that the disease was increasing due to burgeoning population, aging, urbanization and increasing prevalence of obesity and physical inactivity.

It causes blindness, end stage renal disease, increasing the risk of ischemic heart disease, peripheral vascular diseases, neuropathy and leads to lower extremity amputation, they added. At present, nearly 19 percent of the world’s diabetic population (33 million) is in India and it is estimated that the number will rise to an alarming 80 million by 2030. Doctors from all over the world exchanged their views on what treatment protocols have to be adopted in tune with the changing manifestations of the disease, at the conference. THe APDF president, Dr. Venkataratnam Vakkalanka, was present.