This article is more than 2 years old.

March 15, 2016 This article is more than 2 years old.

There was a sharp increase in online searches for gastroenterologists (doctors specialising in the digestive system) in India in 2015 from a year ago, according to healthcare startup, Practo.

The Bengaluru-based startup analysed 75 million searches and 40 million appointments fixed on its platform during 2015 for this study.

The other sets of doctors who were much sought after in India last year were cardiologists, ENT (ear, nose & throat) specialists, paediatricians and dentists.

“Gastric problems and cardiac issues are amongst the fastest growing health concerns in India,” Practo said. “Lifestyle diseases are rising and rising fast—and not just in top cities but across the board in tier II and tier III towns as well.”

Delhi belly

Residents of Delhi NCR appear to have the weakest stomachs among all metropolitan cities in India. There was an alarming 1,597% increase in searches for gastroenterologists in the country’s capital in 2015.

Delhi NCR also topped the list of growth in searches for ENT specialists—perhaps due to the extremely bad air pollution in the city.