Dietary habits causing high prevalence of NCDs in AP, Telangana: ASSOCHAM report

AP and Telangana have a 16.19% prevalence of key NCDs Vs. the national average of 11.62%

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), the apex trade association of the country, as part of its ‘Illness to Wellness’ campaign, has unveiled Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana specific findings of India’s largest primary healthcare survey report on the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country.

This was followed by a virtual panel discussion on “Non-Communicable Diseases: The New Health Challenges for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The survey report titled “Non-Communicable Diseases in India” covered 2,33,672 people and 673 public health offices in 21 states to analyse the rising cases of NCDs in the country and the social profile of suffering households.

The survey highlighted that Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have a 16.19% prevalence of key NCDs which is higher than the national average of 11.62%. These states particularly have a higher prevalence of NCDs like hypertension, digestive diseases, diabetes, and neurological diseases as compared to the National Average Prevalence Rate of these diseases

The region shows lower vegetable and fruit consumption coupled with high meat consumption than the national average.

As per the study findings, 90% of the respondents from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana consume non-vegetarian food with 68% consuming red meat. This has implications on NCDs affecting the digestive system, heart, and hypertension.

Dr. K. S. Soma Sekhar Rao, Consultant Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist, Department of Medical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Apollo Health City, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad added, “An unhealthy gut is the mother of all diseases, and we must take good care of our gut from a very young age for a long and healthy life. I would like to stress the importance of consuming a healthy diet, regular exercise, and modification of a sedentary lifestyle. With these simple changes, we can bring a lot of difference in our lifestyle and make ourselves less vulnerable to NCDs.”