Diabetes is a chronic disease marked by the higher level of
blood glucose from defects in insulin production, insulin
action or both. Diabetes is fast becoming a leading cause of
morbidity, mortality and disability across the world.
Diabetes is a global metabolic epidemic affecting essential
biochemical activities in almost every age group (Gupta et
al. 2008). The prevalence of diabetes has drastically
increased in the latter half of the 20th century, largely due
to the ready availability of large quantities of calorie rich
foods and the technology driven reduction in routine daily
exercise. According to International Diabetes Federation,
diabetes currently affects 285 million people worldwide and
India has the largest number of people with diabetes i.e.
50.8 million. India has been declared as the “Diabetic
capital of world”. By 2030 there would be 438 million
diabetics throughout the world and 80 million diabetics
would be in India alone (IDF 2010). Obesity and physical
inactivity independently contribute to the development of
type 2 diabetes. However, the magnitude of risk contributed
by obesity is much greater than that imparted by lack of
physical activity (Rana et al. 2006).