Diabetes-Associated Risk and Population Burden of Comorbid Conditions Among Older Adults and Elderly Persons in India

Diabetes substantially increases the burden of multimorbidity in later life, posing a major challenge for healthy aging in India. Using nationally representative data, this study examined the prevalence, likelihood, and population-attributable risk (PAR) of cardiovascular disease (CVD), lung disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and eye problems among older adults and elderly persons. The prevalence of CVD was considerably higher among adults aged 60 years and above with diabetes than among non-diabetics. Diabetes contributed substantially to the CVD burden across socioeconomic and demographic groups, with the highest PAR estimates observed among overweight women aged 45 to 59 years and urban women. Eye problems also showed consistently elevated attributable risks, particularly among women aged 45 to 59 years, residents of Central India, and socially disadvantaged groups. In contrast, diabetes-attributable risks for lung disease and musculoskeletal disorders were comparatively modest and significant mainly among specific age-sex groups. Overall, the findings indicate that diabetes is an important contributor to chronic disease burden in later life, especially for CVD and eye disorders, with considerable variations across sex, socioeconomic status, region, and body mass index. These findings highlight the need for targeted diabetes management and prevention strategies to reduce chronic morbidity and improve healthy aging outcomes nationally.