Previously thought to be a problem of urban and wealthy people, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are increasingly common throughout India, including the Kashmir Valley. These illnesses, which are mostly caused by environmental and lifestyle factors, have become a silent but enduring threat to public health.

Recent studies conducted in Ladakh and Kashmir highlight how serious the issue is. More than 57% of people are obese, 32.4% have high blood pressure, and over 8% have diabetes, according to a regional survey. 10.5% of younger persons have pre-diabetic metabolic abnormalities, which is concerning because it suggests early disease progression. These numbers demonstrate a worrying trend in local populations toward metabolic diseases.

These geographical tendencies are consistent with more general national trends. According to a thorough pan-India study that was published in The Lancet, roughly 36% of Indians have hypertension and 11.4% have diabetes, two diseases that are closely linked to stress,........

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