Indians’ Religion and Beliefs n Relation to Healthcare

Indians’ Religion and Beliefs n Relation to Healthcare

Introduction

Diabetes is increasingly becoming a potential epidemic in India. Various studies, including Tripathy et al. (2017) and Kaveeshwar and Cornwall (2014), have described India as the world’s diabetes capital. A recent survey found that India had over 69 million diabetes cases in 2015, the second-largest number after China (Tripathy et al., 2017, p. 1); a significant increase from 62 million reported in 2014 (Kaveeshwar & Cornwall, 2014, p. 45). Furthermore, epidemiological evidence suggests a rising diabetes mellitus epidemic in India. These statistics trigger research interest in the relationship between Indians’ diet and diabetes. The present discussion focuses on the lifestyle of Indians (religion and beliefs regarding healthcare), their foods and the associated diabetes cases. The paper also examines Indian immigrants in the United States, their demographics, and healthcare issues.

Indians’ Religion and Beliefs n Relation to Healthcare

Religion plays a significant role in determining healthcare practices among Tthe Indians. Patients with strong religious affiliations recognize the importance of religion in their health. A majority of the Indians practice Hinduism. This religion follows Ayurvedic dietary practices, which classifies foods into hot or cold categories depending on whether they are sweet, bitter, sour, or salty. Foods that are high in salt, animal protein belong to the hot group while those that sweet or bitter are cold. Moreover, Hindus believe in karma, which refers to the law of cause and effect. Based on this law, Hindus believe that every action, thought, or word influences one’s present and future life. This belief affects their adoption of healthcare decision.

Indians’ belief in ancestral spirits also influences their healthcare systems. Their religion strongly believes in the evil eye, which attributes to be a cause of some illnesses. This belief somehow hinders them from seeking medical care. Moreover, they embrace yoga, which they consider as a time for spiritual meditation. As such, they discourage some foods such as garlic and onions, which they argue interfere with meditation. These arguments are not strong enough to suggest that Indians’ religious beliefs and practices contribute to high diabetes prevalence.

Foods and Diabetes among the Indians

The rising levels of type 2 diabetes in India are linked to their nutritional habits. According to Shobana et al. (2018), there have been nutrition transitions among Indians, with an increase in unhealthy eating habits. Between the 1960s and 1970s, India underwent a green revolution that increased sufficiency in food supply (Shobana et al., 2018). Technological developments have also increased the availability of cheaper, unhealthy processed foods. Studies focusing on the urban and rural residence in different areas in India indicate that the middle and upper-class Indians have swapped the traditional cereal-based diet for processed foods.

The rising consumption of fast foods increases diabetes among Indians. Most Indians today prefer refined carbohydrates, fatty, and sugary foods. Polished white rice, high-calorie drinks (sugary), and fast foods dominate the diet of most middle and upper-class Indians (Shobana et al., 2018). Tripathy et al. (2017) opine that high consumption of unhealthy foods with low physical activity is a significant risk factor for diabetes. Therefore, the changes in nutrition account for the considerable increase in Type 2 diabetes and obesity among the Indian population, especially among those living in urban areas.

Indian Immigrants in the United States

India immigrants moved to the United States in small numbers during the 19th century, mostly as low-skilled laborers. However, their population has grown substantially to over 2 million by 2015 (Zong & Batalova, 2017). Various legislations on immigration quotas and the introduction of employment-based permanent visas have influenced Indians’ migration to the United States. As a result, Indians became the top recipients of high-skilled H-1B visas. Today, Indian immigrants are the second-largest immigrant group in the United States after the Mexicans. A demographic review reveals that the current Indian immigrants in the United States comprise young and highly educated clique with eloquence in English. Zong and Batalova (2017) indicate that most of these groups work in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) fields. They are better educated and have higher household income than other immigrants. A reasonable percentage have a lawful permanent residence through employer sponsorship.

Given the high socio-economic status of the Indian immigrants living in the United States, a majority have private health insurance. A study focusing on the level of perceived discrimination and health outcome among Asian Indians found that 85% of the respondents have health insurance. Moreover, more than 90% reported a healthy lifestyle with no tobacco use and only 1.03% having a chronic illness. Indian immigrants also have lower levels of obesity compared to the general U.S. population, though the authors report that the BMI measurements found one in every three respondents as overweight (Misra & Hunte, 2016). These findings suggest that Indian immigrants in the United States live healthy lifestyle hence have better health outcomes than those living in India.

Conclusion

The high prevalence of diabetes among the Indian population has drawn significant research interests. As such, Indians’ dietary preferences, physical activity, and religious beliefs have come under scrutiny for their contribution to this epidemic. These findings suggest that the transition from the traditional cereal-based foods to unhealthy foods rich in refined carbohydrates, sugar, and salt increases the risk for diabetes among the Indians.