In a significant study, the city-based National Institute for Nutrition (NIN) has found that prevalence of diabetes among men was 22 per cent as against 19 per cent among women mainly due to overweight and obesity, physical inactivity and hyperlipidaemia (elevated levels of lipo proteins in blood). 

The study noted that diabetes was also significantly associated with high percentage of body fat and those who had risk behaviors like tobacco and alcohol consumption. The prevalence of hypertension among urban men and women was 31 and 26 per cent respectively and while it is maximum in Kerala (31 to 39 per cent), it was lowest in Bihar (16 to 22 per cent).The prevalence of tobacco smoking among men was 16 per cent while alcohol consumption in men was 30 per cent. The study also found that the intake of milk and milk products, sugar and jaggery were lower than the suggested levels of Indian Council for Medical Research.