Lifestyle diseases (a term that once seemed confined to affluent households) have found their way into the very arteries of Indian society. This year, on World Health Day 2025, the theme is “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures.” And if we are to give our future the best shot, the insights revealed by Practo’s latest health insights report (drawn from over 30 million users) may be the wake-up call we need.

In the year 2000, the conversation around health in India revolved around infectious diseases, sanitation, and access. Today, a different epidemic is sweeping across the country. It doesn't make headlines the way pandemics do nor provoke the same panic. But it's just as powerful and more insidious.

84% Surge in Awareness:

Nearly half of all searches (48%) for lifestyle diseases came from the 25–34 age group. This is significant. This age bracket represents India’s young workforce, parents of toddlers, and decision-makers of tomorrow. That they are the ones leading the digital health engagement tells us that this isn’t a health crisis borne of ignorance, it’s one spurred by information overload and modern pressure.

Practo's data scientists saw a startling number emerge from the 2024 digital health landscape: an 84% year-on-year growth in awareness and searches around lifestyle diseases.

Said Dr. Vishal Jani, Head – Medical Research, Practo, “We are witnessing a clear shift in how people, especially younger adults, are proactively engaging with their health. The increased adoption of digital tools for early detection, ongoing management, and access to verified medical advice reflects a growing shift. Patients today are more empowered to make informed decisions.”

Tier 2 cities showed the highest growth at 20% year-on-year. The urban-rural healthcare divide is narrowing, not because clinics have suddenly popped up, but because smartphones have.

The Hypertension Surge:

Among all lifestyle diseases, hypertension saw the highest spike: a 21% increase year-on-year. High blood pressure is not something you catch like a cold. It creeps in, built on late nights, skipped breakfasts, family stress, and job insecurity. Men over 65 saw a shocking 160% growth in consultations for hypertension. Women aged 45–54 saw a 307% rise.

Equally unsettling is the 142% rise in cardiology consultations among men aged 18–34. Women in the same bracket weren’t far behind at 121%. It challenges a long-standing assumption that heart issues belong to the ageing population. If you are in your twenties and feeling chest tightness, it's no longer an anomaly. It's a trend.

The Sweet Trap for Gen Z:

The data on diabetes reveals a strange irony: the highest growth in searches among males was in the 18–24 age group, at 92.59%. Once considered a disease of middle age, diabetes is now becoming a rite of passage into adulthood for many young Indians. Part of the reason is the ubiquity of processed food, long screen hours, and reduced physical activity. But there’s also another undercurrent: among populations outside Tier 1 and 2 cities, diabetes-related queries grew by 37%. Rural and semi-urban India are no longer insulated from the health impacts of a fast-food economy and sedentary jobs.

Weight management consultations remained stable at 2.2 per person per year, but the 18–24 age group showed the most explosive growth. Among men, searches shot up by 214%, and among women, 45%. It’s a generation shaped by Instagram filters and fitness influencers, where “health” is often conflated with aesthetics. The intent may be healthy, but the pressure and the mental toll is very real.

From Treatment to Ownership:

What ties all these numbers together is one big idea: Indians are moving from treatment to ownership. They aren’t just reacting to illness anymore. They’re trying to prevent it, manage it, and live with it on their own terms. Dr. Jani puts it plainly: “It’s not just about treatment, it’s about long-term health ownership.”

This means more digital consultations, more AI-powered diagnostics, and more personalized health plans but it also means a more demanding consumer base.

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