Culture Post: Type 2 Diabetes Cases Among Young People Skyrocketing Due to Rising Obesity Rates

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by StudyFinds.

The number of young people developing Type 2 diabetes has soared over the past 30 years, driven mainly by rising obesity rates, a new study shows.

Data from over 200 countries and regions reveals the rise is particularly affecting women under 30. Generally, Type 2 diabetes develops in middle-aged and older people and it carries an increased risk of serious health complications, such as heart disease, vision loss, and premature death.

However, scientists in China discovered the incidence rate for Type 2 diabetes among adolescents and young adults is increasing across the globe — going from 117 per 100,000 people in 1990 to 183 in 2019. One of the measurements in the study was disability adjusted life years (DALYs), and these increased globally from 106 per 100,000 in 1990 to 150 per 100,000 in 2019.

The team at Harbin Medical University, China found women under 30 generally had high mortality and DALY rates than men. However, the gender split in mortality rate reversed once people reached the age of 30, with the one exception being people in undeveloped countries.

Regardless of the region, DALYs increased primarily because of high body mass index and in all countries, high body mass index was the main risk factor for diabetes onset.

Writing in The BMJ, researchers argue that weight control is essential to reduce the burden of early onset Type 2 diabetes. They add that countries should establish specific policies to deal with the disease effectively.

Source: StudyFinds
https://studyfinds.org/young-people-type-2-diabetes/

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