Apollo Hospitals reports that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Indian children aged 5-17 have more than doubled in the past decade. The 2030 NCD burden is estimated at $4.8 trillion in lost GDP. Early identification and treatment of diabetes and hypertension are essential.
Over the past decade, the rate of NCDs in children aged 5–17 has more than doubled, an age group when lifestyle diseases should not be developing, according to Apollo Hospitals data.
The NCD burden in India is estimated at $4.8 trillion in lost economic productivity by 2030, according to Apollo CEO – Preventive Health Dr. Sathya Sriram. If healthy, India’s young population is its greatest asset. By ignoring NCDs early on, we risk a generation that is less productive and increases the nation’s healthcare costs. Early identification and treatment of diabetes and hypertension are essential. Lifestyle changes including diet and exercise can reduce long-term health risks. Children’s learning problems and high-risk behaviors must be identified early to provide assistance and intervention. Proactive measures can significantly cut adult NCD rates, reducing India’s health and economic effect.
The data from approximately 10,000 walk-in and campus outreach examinations shows an alarming rise in pre-diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease, and abnormal lipid levels.
Early beginning of Diabetes: 17% of those examined had prediabetes, suggesting early diabetes onset in adulthood.
According to Apollo SHINE Foundation campus checks, diabetes incidence in these ages has doubled in the past five years, from 1.37 percent in 2018 to 3.68 percent in 2023 across a virtually equal sample size, as measured by HbA1C values.
Childhood obesity is rising exponentially and is a key risk factor for various NCDs. Nearly 19% of individuals examined were overweight or obese, 3X higher than a few years earlier.
Newcomer hypertension: NCDs including hypertension are now being detected in 7-year-olds. Apollo data shows its discovery in 6% of tested. Due to increased academic pressure and peer and social worries, most of this affects 14–17-year-olds.
Many non-communicable diseases start in childhood. Risk factors include inactivity, poor diets, alcohol and tobacco use, academic pressure, social anxiety, and dangerous settings. Genetic predisposition also matters. A child in India is under pediatric care until they are 12–14 years old, and only when they are unwell. The child becomes an adult at 18. Thus, 14-18-year-olds are commonly disregarded in pediatric and adult healthcare categorization. This ‘rain-shadow zone’ demographic has many undetected health issues.
Lifestyle variables and NCDs are commonly ignored in pediatric screens for developmental problems and infectious illnesses. Parents and schools must be aware of lifestyle diseases in children to provide early intervention and healthy living environments. Apollo and its pediatricians use ProHealth, a personalized health check program, to monitor children and adolescents’ health.
Conclusion
Apollo Hospitals reports a double-digit increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Indian children aged 5-17 over the past decade. The burden could cost $4.8 trillion in lost economic output by 2030. Early detection and intervention are crucial for diabetes, hypertension, learning disabilities, and high-risk behaviors. Nearly 10,000 screenings showed alarming rises in NCDs, with early-onset diabetes found in 17% of those examined. Lifestyle factors like physical inactivity, poor diets, alcohol and tobacco exposure, and social concerns are often overlooked in Indian pediatric screenings. Parents and schools must be aware of lifestyle diseases to provide early intervention and healthy living environments.
