MUMBAI: A new study on type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients in India finds that obesity among diabetics is on the rise. The same study also revealed that majority of patients prefer to have fewer large meals as opposed to more frequent small meals which are more diabetes friendly The results are part of The D Picture study, Kantar Health's new robust report that provides a unique and comprehensive understanding of T2D patients. The large syndicated study, which encompasses a sample size of 1,500 patients over 21 cities, provides in-depth insight into T2D patients' attitudes and behaviors, and captures the latest trends on demographics, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and the digital habits of T2D patients across the country.

"The D Picture study is of critical importance because it brings patient centricity in the healthcare ecosystem to the forefront and will help the market evolve according to patient needs,” said Gauri Pathak, General Manager India, Kantar Health, a global leader in healthcare market research and consulting. "In today's digitally-enabled world, patients are becoming increasingly empowered to make choices related to managing their health. Healthcare companies need to understand the patient’s relationship with their illness and place patients at the heart of conversations with doctors, especially for chronic conditions such as T2D, where factors such as lifestyle decisions significantly impact outcomes beyond medicine efficacy."

Key findings of the study include:

96 percent of patients were not aware of their body mass index (BMI).
More than half of patients were found to be overweight or obese.
25 percent of male diabetics report being smokers.
Patients say they frequently consume large meals, as opposed to T2D friendly smaller meals.
There is an increasing trend towards consulting a diabetes specialist for diagnosis consultation

Highlights of The D Picture Study

·         The study divides respondents into socioeconomic, gender and age brackets. It also breaks down the patients into segments, such as the number of years they have been dealing with the disease (from one to more than 10 years), their marital status, profession, hereditary issues, BMI and insurance coverage status.

·         The study provides deep insights into the awareness levels among patients to the type of diabetes they are diagnosed with, diagnostic tests available, diabetes-related complications and perceptions on the causes of diabetes – thus delivering a wealth of information to healthcare providers on patient attitudes and behaviors toward diabetes management.

·         The study reveals background details on the diagnosis, including how patients were diagnosed, category of doctors behind such diagnosis, place of diagnosis and the relevant tests that were conducted.

·         The study shows dedicated segments on initiation of treatment, brand preference in the use of insulin, blood glucometers and the use of artificial sweeteners.

·         The study indicates complications that arise and how patients are addressing them.

·         The study provides insight into doctor switching behavior and key expectations from patients on doctors.

·         The study offers valuable insight on patients’ digital life, which influences their thinking, lifestyle choices and treatment choices. It segments patients based on usage of digital media, as well as how they are using the internet to talk about T2D.