Clipped from: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/a-major-health-challenge/article70885670.ece
Holistic care needed to treat metabolic disorders
Nearly one in four Indians is affected by significant metabolic dysfunction | Photo Credit: JDawnInk
Metabolic disorders sit at the centre of India’s non-communicable disease burden, driving many of the country’s most serious health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney failure and long-term disability. Conditions such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension and lipid disorders disrupt the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, fat metabolism and energy balance. When left unmanaged, they progressively lead to complex and costly complications.
The scale of the challenge is unprecedented. A 2023 Lancet study estimated that more than 100 million Indians are living with diabetes, with over 130 million more at high risk due to pre-diabetes. In effect, nearly one in four Indians is affected by significant metabolic dysfunction. Equally concerning is the demographic shift underlying this trend: metabolic risks are appearing earlier in life, progressing faster, and leading to complications during individuals’ most productive years.
In this landscape, an integrated care ecosystem is not a philosophical shift; it is a clinical and systemic necessity.
Therapeutic tools
Scientific progress has equipped us with powerful therapeutic tools. Advanced therapies targeting key hormonal pathways have demonstrated meaningful improvements in glycaemic control, weight reduction and cardio-metabolic parameters. However, their true impact depends on accessibility and affordability. Importantly, metabolic disorders are chronic, progressive and interlinked conditions that evolve over years, and their effective management requires continuity of care, patient adherence and coordinated clinical support. While a prescription can initiate change but without sustained engagement and structured follow-up, the benefits are often diluted. Fragmented care and late diagnosis continue to undermine long-term outcomes.
A 360-degree approach and the creation of a cohesive integrated care ecosystem must become the standard of care. Early detection embedded within primary care settings is the first step. Today, many individuals enter the healthcare system only after complications have developed.
Equally important is the establishment of robust, evidence-based treatment protocols. As awareness and access to advanced therapies expand, strong clinical governance is essential. Clear algorithms, physician education and defined monitoring frameworks ensure that innovative treatments are used appropriately and responsibly. Evidence-based protocols safeguard patient safety, optimise outcomes and preserve trust in therapeutic advancements.
Institutional capacity is another critical pillar. Dedicated metabolic centres of excellence can serve as anchors of this ecosystem by bringing together endocrinologists, cardiologists, nephrologists, bariatric specialists, nutritionists and behavioural experts within a unified, protocol-driven model. Such centres can generate India-specific evidence, standardise best practices and strengthen training in comprehensive diabetes, obesity and other metabolic cares.
Nutrition and behavioural science must be embedded within metabolic management, not treated as secondary considerations. These conditions are profoundly influenced by dietary patterns, muscle mass composition and sustained lifestyle behaviours.
Digital interventions make metabolic care more proactive and personalised. Real-time tracking of diet, activity and glucose patterns helps patients stay on course, while behavioural nudges support sustained lifestyle change.
India today has the medical expertise, digital capabilities and a new generation of advanced therapies needed to transform the management of obesity, diabetes and related metabolic disorders. However, meaningful progress will depend on coordinated action across the healthcare ecosystem.
The writer is Chief Executive Officer-Global Generics, Dr. Reddy’s
Published on April 21, 2026
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