The Chennai-based India diabetes research foundation has kickstarted a novel initiative under which more than 2,000 people from India and United Kingdom will be monitored through mobile phone technology.
“Through SMS facilities, these participants will be followed and instructed for two years and interim assessments on blood glucose, lipids, dietary patterns will be done to study their lifestyle management and diabetes complications,” said Dr. A. Ramachandran, steering committee member of the International Diabetes Federation on Monday at the at the gold medal oration award functions held to felicitate neurologist Prof G. Arjun Das and ENT surgeon Prof K.K. Ramalingam.
The project has been launched in collaboration with the Imperial college, London, and Cambridge University and is expected to bring a breakthrough in the field of translational research on primary prevention of diabetes, he said.
Earlier in the day, US consul general Jennifer McIntyre launched the ‘diaBsmart’ foot research project and stressed that health is one of the key pillars of the US India strategic partnership.
Diabetes and other non-communicable diseases remain a challenge for both the countries.
It is estimated that close to 100 million Indians may develop diabetes by 2025 and a similar trend prevails in US, McIntyre said.
British deputy commissioner Mike Nithavrianakis reiterated that Chennai has emerged as a stronghold in the global health map and said that the prevalence of diabetes in the country is alarming.
It is reported that close to 20 per cent of the Chennai population suffers from diabetes and there is a need for more collaborations and research between south India and western countries, he said.
Nithavrianakis launched the diabetes prevention project funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research and Medical Research Council, UK.