Why India is facing a diabetes explosion: Stanford's top 2% scientist reveals the hidden reasons Indians develop it younger than the rest of the world
Published on: July 11, 2026, 10:34 p.m. | Source: Times of India
Diabetes has become so common in India that almost every family knows someone living with the condition. Parents worry about it. Young adults are being diagnosed with it. Even people who appear healthy sometimes discover they have high blood sugar during a routine health check.So, why does diabetes seem to affect Indians more often and at a younger age than many other populations?That question was addressed by one of India's best-known diabetologists, Dr V Mohan, Chairman of Dr Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre and Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, during a conversation on Raj Shamani's podcast. Dr Mohan, whose research has earned him a place among Stanford University's list of the world's top 2% scientists, explained that there is no single answer. Instead, India's diabetes epidemic is the result of genetics, early-life nutrition, changing lifestyles, and everyday habits coming together over decades.
