New Delhi: On World Diabetes Day, it's time to take stock because India is all set to become the global capital for diabetes.

Endocrinologist with Max hospital, Dr Rakesh Prasad says, "India is set to become the diabetes capital of the world and in the next few years, we will have the maximum number of diabetics in the world."

The alarm bells have started ringing as more and more Indians seem to succumb to Type II diabetes every year.

Endocrinologist with Fortis hospital, Dr Anoop Misra says, "As per the World Health Organisation, we have 40 million diabetics today and this number will double in next 20 years."

In India, diabetes continues to be a lifestyle disease affecting the urban dweller more than his rural counterpart. "There are very few cases in rural India and semi-urban India constitutes only five to eight per cent of the total population affected by diabetes," says Dr Misra.

Indians are genetically predisposed to diabetes. Add to that an unhealthy lifestyle and you have a deadly mixture increasingly affecting even the young population.

Dr Prasad says it is mostly due to increasing consumption of junk food and no exercise, Dr Misra agrees.

Dr Misra says one simple test to measure your risk of diabetes is to see whether you have a family history of the disease and by checking your waist circumference.

He says that the simplest way to keep the disease at bay is exercising and a regular self-glucose check.

And while there is no hint of replacement for insulin injections for the time being, there is hope of innovation on the horizon.

Dr Prasad says that new oral medicine to naturally release insulin is being launched in India next year, so there is hope for people afflicted.