Diabetes in Kolkata: What the Numbers Say?

Kolkata is famous for its street foods like phuchka, rolls, chowmin, and excessive sweets, making it the “sweet capital of India”. While these sound mouthwatering, they can be the main cause of your heightened diabetes. From North Kolkata’s traditional sweet shops to Salt Lake’s gleaming IT hubs, Kolkata’s diabetes patients are spread all over the city. As reported, with a rate of 14.4%, Bengal ranks seventh, highlighting serious concerns about diabetes awareness (Sumati Yengkhom, 2023). Behind Kolata’s cultural heritage, modern health concerns affect lakhs of the citizens every year.

Kolkata by the Numbers

Reportedly, Kolkata is one of the most prone cities in India to have the most diabetic individuals. A recent survey on Kolkata’s diabetes rate reveals that 228% of the city's population could be diabetics, including 25 % of the youths (Mitra, 2024).  Another survey discloses that diabetes rate is increasing among pregnant women in Kolkata’s slums areas (World Diabetes Foundation, 2016). West Bengal becomes one of the most diabetes reported states in India, where Kolkata ranks at the top.

However, the main concern about the growth is unawareness. It can be estimated that for every person who is diagnosed for Type 2, another one remains unaware and undiagnosed, letting the situation worsen. Thousands in the city continue to do their daily living thinking they are mostly fine, whereas, they are walking with undetected high blood sugar and could collapse any time. In Kolkata, people’s dietary habits and sedentary working culture created a perfect unbreakable bond with diabetes where individuals of all age and income groups are the target.

The Urban Lifestyle Effect and Risk Factors Exclusive to Kolkata

Kolkata's urbanization is a perfect blend of tradition with modernization. In the morning, the day started with milk tea sweetened generously with sugar, followed by rice-heavy meals and quick snacks between meetings. During the evening, the chai returns with its best-friend, telebhaja (fritters). Festivals are celebrated with ilish, bhetki, mutton, and lots of sweets. All of them are a hidden carb trap; once you fall, the addiction can lead to Type 2 diabetes, due to the lack of exercise that can burn the calories. Despite these food habits, the urban working culture in Kolkata further disrupts the lifestyle. Kolkata employees spend long office hours and do overtime on a daily basis, students burn the midnight oil with fried chips or soft drinks (NewsClick, 2025). Also, from the other districts, Kolkata citizens tend to have late dinners with rice and heavy protein base foods, spiking insulin resistance.

Sweets are the cultural currency of the city, where bringing rosgolla and sandesh while visiting relatives are as important as breathing. Fried phuchka and rolls tempt on Park Street, where aromas destroy the willpower, but you  forget to burn that extra calorie. While once this indulgence was occasional, the daily urban habits turn them into necessity. Bachelors carry a double egg roll when returning from the office, gradually resulting in visceral fat building. Consuming such high-sugar and carb based food daily, even in small portions, can add up over time, and combining with the lack of exercise, it results in a rising curve of blood sugar across all age brackets.

The Rural-Urban Divide

While the whole India focuses on urban areas to survey diabetes rate, it is no longer confined to Kolkata’s urban core. While a decade ago, diabetes was called as urban disease, as rural people tend to have much physical work to regulate their insulin cycle, in today’s period, smaller towns like Howrah, Hooghly, and Bardhhaman are reported to have growing numbers of diabetic patients to receive treatments (Rajput, 2024). But why? Here are some reasons why the semi-urban or rural areas are reportedly growling of diabetic patients:

●       Processed foods and beverages demand.

●       Decline of physical activity.

●       People started to work more sedentary jobs.

●       Taking vehicles for short distances.

●       Lack of awareness.

●       Limited healthcare.

How the City Is Responding

Kolkata always strikes back, whether it is protest from the British, or spreading awareness against diabetes. Here are some responses from the city itself:

●       Diabetes screening camp and check-up.

●       Holding a yoga session.

●       Holding mini marathons.

●       Introducing sugar-free mishti.

●       Fight with Technology.