Hyderabad: According to Thyroid Registry, the prevalence of hypothyroid in India is 10.95 per cent while the world average is between four and five per cent, says a study published in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.
The increased incidence of thyroid which is largely found in women is an auto-immune disorder where the thyroid gland stops producing the hormones that regulate the important metabolic functions of the body.
Dr Bipin Sethi, a senior endocrinologist, said, “When there is a marked increase in weight within a period of six to eight months, people must opt for a thyroid check up. People often associate these changes to lifestyle. While it can be one reason, that rapid gain in weight, along with symptoms like fatigue, hair loss, shortness of breath, poor memory and concentration and dry skin can be indications of thyroid disorder. The inadequate production of this hormone causes metabolic stress in the body which needs to be addressed.”
The largest age group represented in the study was 19 to 45 years.
