Understanding the High Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Indian Populations: A Genetic and Environmental Perspective

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) poses a growing public health challenge in India, where its prevalence continues to rise at an alarming rate. Over recent decades, India has observed a sharp rise in diabetes prevalence, with national rates increasing alongside earlier age of onset. This trend not only highlights the scale of the burden but also raises important questions about the hereditary basis of Type 2 Diabetes. Understanding its development is especially important in the South Asian context, where complex interactions between genetics, environment and lifestyle create unique patterns of risk. This review explores current evidence on the drivers of T2D, with attention to how both biological and socio-cultural influences shape susceptibility