Nearly Nine in Ten Indian Adults Have Abnormal Cholesterol Levels, ICMR-INDIAB Study Finds - Video

Nearly nine in ten Indian adults may be living with unhealthy cholesterol levels—even if they appear healthy—according to a large nationwide study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The ICMR-INDIAB study, which analysed the lipid profiles of 23,665 adults across India, found that 87.3% had at least one abnormal lipid parameter, making dyslipidemia one of the country's most common health problems. Researchers estimate that nearly 355 million Indians may have abnormal cholesterol levels despite having normal blood sugar, blood pressure, and body weight, significantly increasing their future risk of heart disease and stroke. The findings also challenge the notion that high cholesterol is limited to urban or overweight populations.

The study identified low HDL ("good") cholesterol as the most common abnormality, followed by high LDL ("bad") cholesterol and elevated triglycerides. Cholesterol abnormalities were most prevalent among adults aged 30–39 years, with women showing a higher overall burden than men. Experts noted that while Indians are genetically predisposed to lower HDL levels, factors such as carbohydrate-rich diets, physical inactivity, and unhealthy lifestyles are further driving the problem. They stressed the need for earlier cholesterol screening, healthier dietary habits, regular exercise, and lifestyle modifications to reduce the country's growing cardiovascular disease burden.