The government has started a school-based screening programme on pilot basis to screen children for diabetes in six districts in the country. The programme is going on at Nainital in Uttarakhand, Theni in Tamil Nadu, Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, Dibrugarh in Assam, Bhilwara in Rajasthan and Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh.

Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. He disclosed that several studies have contributed to overwhelming evidence that indicates the increase in type 2 diabetes amongst children and adolescents. Major risk factors of diabetes are unhealthy diet, obesity and lack of physical exercise. He said a fund to each district has been released for the screening programme. The programme is primarily focused on school children of 1st to 10th classes aged 5 to 15 years.