Type 2 diabetes is increasingly affecting young professionals in their 20s and early 30s in India, moving away from its traditional association with middle-aged individuals. Medical experts attribute this trend to modern lifestyle choices, including inactivity, irregular eating habits, chronic stress, and insufficient sleep, rather than age or genetic factors. The state health department reports that approximately 39 lakh individuals, or 13 percent of Telangana’s 3 crore population, are living with diabetes, with a significant portion residing in Hyderabad. A study presented to the Lok Sabha in December 2024 indicates that Telangana ranks among the top four states with the highest diabetes prevalence. Dr.
Ravi Sankar Erukulapati, a Senior Endocrinologist at Apollo Sugar Clinic in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, emphasizes that diabetes is no longer confined to those in their 40s and 50s, as they are now observing patients in their late 20s and early 30s who, despite appearing healthy and lacking family history, exhibit insulin resistance.