Published Jun 05, 2026 | 9:15 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 05, 2026 | 9:15 AM
India has more than 101 million people living with diabetes. (iStock)
Synopsis: More than one in five Indian men and nearly one in five women now have diabetes or high blood sugar, according to NFHS-6. Kerala recorded the highest prevalence among major states, while Karnataka witnessed the sharpest increase since NFHS-5, underscoring India’s growing burden of lifestyle-related and metabolic diseases.
More than one in five Indian adults now have diabetes or high blood sugar levels, according to the National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6), which shows a sharp increase in prevalence across the country over the past five years.
The survey found that 17.8 percent of women and 20.9 percent of men aged 15 years and above either had blood sugar levels above 140 mg/dl or were taking medication to control diabetes. In NFHS-5, the corresponding figures were 13.5 percent for women and 15.6 percent for men.
The increase means that nearly one in five women and more than one in five men in India now live with diabetes or high blood sugar, underscoring the country’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
Among the major states, Kerala recorded the highest prevalence among both men and women, while Karnataka registered the sharpest increase since the previous survey.
The findings come as India grapples with rising obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, all of which are closely linked to diabetes risk.
Kerala reported the highest prevalence of high blood sugar among the major states.
The survey found that 28.9 percent of women and 31.9 percent of men in the state either had diabetes or elevated blood sugar levels. In practical terms, nearly one in three adults in Kerala is affected.
The burden spans both urban and rural populations. Among women, prevalence stood at 29.5 percent in urban areas and 28.2 percent in rural areas. Among men, it reached 33.5 percent in urban areas, while remaining extremely high at 30.4 percent in rural areas.
The figures suggest that diabetes is no longer confined to urban lifestyles and has become deeply embedded across Kerala’s population.
The state also recorded substantial increases compared with NFHS-5. Among women, prevalence rose from 24.8 percent to 28.9 percent, while among men it increased from 27 percent to 31.9 percent.
The findings mirror other NFHS-6 indicators that place Kerala among the states with the highest prevalence of obesity and hypertension.
The latest survey reveals a clear geographical pattern: southern India continues to bear a disproportionately large share of the country’s diabetes burden.
Among women, Kerala topped the rankings among the major states at 28.9 percent, followed by Tamil Nadu at 25.2 percent, Karnataka at 22.3 percent, Andhra Pradesh at 21.8 percent and Telangana at 19.6 percent.
Among men, Kerala again led with 31.9 percent, followed by Tamil Nadu at 26.7 percent, Karnataka at 26.1 percent, Telangana at 24.5 percent and Andhra Pradesh at 24.1 percent.
Several southern states now report prevalence rates far above the national averages.
The data suggest that rapid urbanisation, changing dietary habits, sedentary lifestyles and rising obesity levels are contributing to the growing burden of metabolic disease across the region.
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Among women in Karnataka, diabetes prevalence rose from 14 percent in NFHS-5 to 22.3 percent in NFHS-6, an increase of 8.3 percentage points. Among men, prevalence increased from 15.6 percent to 26.1 percent, a jump of 10.5 percentage points.
No other major state recorded a larger increase in either category.
The scale of the change has pushed Karnataka from near the national average to one of the country’s leading diabetes hotspots in just a few years.
The findings are likely to raise concerns among public health experts, as such rapid growth often reflects broader shifts in diet, physical activity and obesity levels.
Odisha recorded one of the largest increases among men, with prevalence rising from 17 percent to 26.6 percent, a jump of 9.6 percentage points. Among women, prevalence increased from 14 percent to 21.7 percent.
Chhattisgarh also recorded substantial growth. Among women, prevalence rose from 9 percent to 16.2 percent, while among men it nearly doubled from 10.8 percent to 20.9 percent.
Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand also reported notable increases.
The broad-based nature of the rise suggests that diabetes is becoming a nationwide public health challenge rather than a problem concentrated in a handful of more affluent states.
Among women, prevalence stood at 21.8 percent in Andhra Pradesh and 19.6 percent in Telangana. Among men, Telangana recorded 24.5 percent, marginally higher than Andhra Pradesh’s 24.1 percent.
The urban-rural gap remains visible, though it is narrowing.
In Telangana, 22.6 percent of urban women and 18.6 percent of rural women reported high blood sugar or diabetes. Among men, prevalence stood at 28.9 percent in urban areas and 23.1 percent in rural areas.
In Andhra Pradesh, prevalence among women was 25.1 percent in urban areas, compared with 20.2 percent in rural areas. Among men, the corresponding figures were 26.8 percent and 22.9 percent.
The findings suggest that diabetes is increasingly affecting rural populations as well.
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Nationally, diabetes continues to be more common in urban areas.
Among women, prevalence stood at 21.9 percent in urban India, compared with 16.2 percent in rural areas. Among men, the corresponding figures were 23.9 percent and 19.7 percent.
However, the gap between urban and rural populations is narrowing in several states.
Kerala illustrates this trend clearly. The difference between urban and rural prevalence is now just 1.3 percentage points among women and 3.1 percentage points among men.
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh show similar patterns.
Public health experts have long warned that rural India is undergoing many of the same lifestyle transitions that were once associated primarily with urban populations.
Goa recorded the highest prevalence among men at 32.1 percent, followed by Puducherry at 28.8 percent. Among women, prevalence stood at 27.5 percent in Goa and 26.7 percent in Puducherry. The figures place both regions among the country’s most affected jurisdictions.
Meghalaya was one of the few exceptions to the broader national pattern. Among women, prevalence declined from 9.5 percent in NFHS-5 to 7.1 percent in NFHS-6. Among men, it fell sharply from 13.9 percent to 6.8 percent.
Assam also recorded slight declines among both men and women, while most other states reported increases. The rarity of such declines underscores the broader trend of rising diabetes prevalence across the country.
The findings come amid mounting concern over the rise of non-communicable diseases in India.
The Health Ministry has repeatedly highlighted the growing burden of lifestyle-related conditions, including obesity, hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. NFHS-6 data suggest those concerns are well-founded.
The survey points not only to rising diabetes prevalence across much of the country but also to the narrowing urban-rural divide in disease burden.
Taken together with other NFHS-6 findings showing rising obesity levels and high hypertension prevalence in several states, the data point to a country undergoing a major epidemiological transition.
While India has made substantial progress in tackling infectious diseases and improving maternal and child health outcomes over the past two decades, the growing burden of diabetes presents a different challenge, one that requires sustained interventions focused on diet, physical activity, early screening and preventive healthcare.
NFHS-6 ultimately underscores the scale of the challenge. With more than one in five Indian adults now living with diabetes or high blood sugar, the condition has become one of the country’s most significant public health concerns.
