Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Once an illness restricted to metros, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is fast emerging as a common issue in India. Diagnosable diseases associated with IBD, like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, are now alarmingly being detected in not just urban but rural populations as well.
A 2023 study done by the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in Hyderabad discovered that the prevalence of IBD had jumped from 0.1% in 2006 to over 5% by 2022.
What’s Driving India’s IBD Surge?
1. Dietary Changes and City Living
“India is witnessing a sharp increase IBD cases, especially in urban regions, “said Dr Sharad Malhotra, Senior Consultant at Aakash Healthcare, Delhi.
There is a clear linkage of the transition from traditional diets rich in fiber to processed, Westernized foods laden with sugar and saturated fats with disruption of gut health and the intestinal barrier in person.
2. Prolonged Young Age Antibiotic Administration
In the words of Dr Sunil Rana from Asian Hospital, Faridabad, excessive antibiotics in a child during early stages of life leads to gut dysbiosis, which is a detrimental microbial imbalance in gut that predisposes to IBD.
Difficulties with IBD Diagnosis and Treatment
1. Symptom Similarity and Inaccurate Differential Diagnosis
Diarrhea, weight loss, and abdominal pain, core IBD symptoms, can also occur in more prevalent illnesses like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and intestinal Tuberculosis (TB).
“IBD diagnosis is difficult due to the overlapping nature of symptoms,” comments Dr Suhas Udgirkar from Jupiter Hospital, Pune.
2. High Risk of Misdiagnosis
“IBD in India is commonly mislabelled as intestinal TB,” cautions Dr Udgirkar. “Histological examination needs to be accurate or else there will be inappropriate treatment.”
3. Diagnosis is Still Metro-Centric
“There is no single test that confirms IBD,” says Dr Aakaar Kapoor from City XRay and Scan Clinic, Delhi. Diagnosis is mostly based on blood investigations, colonoscopic examinations, and clinical reviews, all of which are predominantly available in metropolitan areas.
Cultural Controversies and Lack of Knowledge Postpones Action
Dr Malhotra states that these patients, for some reason, do not try to seek medical assistance in the early stages due to stigma and lack of information.
“People choose not to discuss these issues, but should problems emerge from digestive organs, they don’t just go away,” he adds.
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