With diabetes threatening to take more and more people in Calcutta and elsewhere in the country in its grip, doctors are urging patients to adopt ways to self-monitor their blood sugar levels, instead of depending on tests at diagnostic laboratories.

?Today, blood glucose monitoring has become easier than ever, thanks to a wide range of user-friendly devices. The information comes in handy for doctors to better understand the disease pattern and make necessary changes in the treatment procedure. Usually, patients opt for laboratory tests only once in three months,? said Subhankar Choudhury, vice president of the Bengal chapter of Diabetic Association of India.

While a patient can check his/her blood glucose at home as often as required, doctors recommend conducting the tests in the following slots of the day for more reliable data:

Before breakfast or dinner

Two hours after breakfast or dinner

Before lunch or bed-time

Two hours after lunch.

?Self-monitoring is like an insurance policy against diabetes. Those with Type II diabetes (dependent on tablets) need to take extra precautions, as in the absence of regular monitoring, it can develop into full-blown insulin-dependent diabetes, which is also known as Type I diabetes,? explained Manoj Chadha, an endocrinologist at Hinduja Hospital.

Doctors warn that lack of timely and appropriate treatment for diabetes can lead to complications like coronary artery and peripheral vascular disease, stroke, diabetic neuropathy, amputation, renal failure and blindness.

These can result in physical disability, reduced life expectancy, besides enormous expenditure on medicines and treatment.

Statistics suggest that one in every five diabetic in the world is an Indian. This works out to a staggering 33 million Indians afflicted with the ailment, 30 per cent of who are below 40 years of age. A modest estimate hints that the diabetic count in India will reach 57 million by 2025.

However, medical experts say that proper administration of medicines, regular exercise, sensible eating and a few changes in lifestyle are enough to control the disease and live a normal life.