Diabetes grows in IIOJK, experts say stress from day & night raids main reason
Srinagar: Diabetes mellitus is emerging as one of the fastest-growing public health concerns in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, with latest health data showing a sharp rise in adults with high blood sugar.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Family Health Survey-6 (2023-24) shows that 13% of women and 11.3% of men aged 15 years and above in IIOJK have elevated blood sugar levels or are on medication. This marks a significant jump from 2019-21 when 8.7% of women and 8% of men were reported with high blood sugar.
Health experts said the surge is being driven not only by obesity and unhealthy lifestyles, but also by prolonged stress caused by frequent day and night raids and harassment by Indian occupation forces across the territory. According to medical professionals, chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, disrupts sleep patterns and pushes blood sugar up, making residents more vulnerable to Type-2 diabetes.
The study estimates overall prevalence in Jammu region at 18.9%, with urban areas at 26.5% compared to 14.5% in rural areas. Around 40% of diabetes cases remain undiagnosed. Prof. Dr S. Muhammad Salim Khan of Government Medical College Srinagar said diabetes is no longer confined to the elderly, with younger adults increasingly affected. “Unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, obesity and stress are key factors.
When stress from continuous day and night raids and harassment becomes constant, it directly impacts metabolic health,” another expert said. Doctors also list physical inactivity, poor diet, hypertension, tobacco use and poor sleep as major risk factors, but stress from military operations is being flagged as a growing trigger.
