The prevalence of hypertension in Punjab is the highest—40 per cent—compared to the national average of 35.5 per cent. This information was shared during the monsoon session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha by Health Minister Balbir Singh in a written reply to a question from Khadoor Sahib MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura.Quoting a survey report by the ICMR-INDIAB, the minister said 40 per cent of people in Punjab currently suffered from hypertension followed by Kerala.Similarly, 14.3 per cent of people in Punjab suffer from diabetes, which is higher than the national average of 11 to 12 per cent. Punjab ranks fourth in terms of diabetes prevalence, preceded by Goa (26.4 per cent), Kerala (25.5 per cent) and Tamil Nadu (22.23 per cent).Additionally, the overall obesity rate among women has risen from 24 per cent to 30.7 percent, with Punjab ranking fourth in this category.However, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) states that hypertension prevalence in India has decreased in Punjab. In women, it has dropped from 31.2 per cent to 24.5 per cent and in men, it had dropped from 37.7 per cent to 26.3 per cent. The Health Department attributes the rise in non-communicable diseases to changing lifestyles. People are increasingly relying on automation instead of physical labour, and higher consumption of salt and refined foods is worsening these conditions. Additionally, rising mental stress across all age groups has contributed to a surge in hypertension, diabetes and heart attack cases.Population & alcohol consumptionPunjab ranks 21st among all states and Union Territories in population and alcohol consumption.Tobacco usagePunjab records the lowest tobacco usage in India at a negligible 0.1 per cent, according to the NFHS-6 data.Cancer rateAccording to Homi Bhabha district-level cancer registry, 75 to 90 people per 1,00,000 in Punjab suffer from cancer. Similar rates are observed in Mizoram, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. In contrast, the national cancer prevalence rate is 100 to 110 cases per 1,00,000 people.