20 May 2025 : Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition, but its rising incidence among young people has become a growing concern for health experts. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Sashidhar Reddy Gutha , general physician and diabetologist, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad said, “Type 2 diabetes in youth is not just a medical alarm, it’s a public health warning. Once labeled adult-onset, the disease is now being diagnosed in teenagers and people in their early 20s, a shift driven by a combination of lifestyle, biological, and environmental factors.”
Reasons behind early onset type 2 diabetes:
1. Obesity at a Young Age:
Excess body weight, especially abdominal fat, reduces the body’s ability to use insulin effectively. The more central the fat, the higher the insulin resistance.
2. Poor nutrition and processed food culture:
High intake of sugary, salty, and ultra-processed foods, along with low fiber consumption, is contributing to metabolic damage early in life.
3. Sedentary lifestyle and screen time:
Lack of physical activity, combined with long hours of sitting or screen exposure, lowers metabolism and worsens insulin sensitivity.
4. Genetics and family history:
If a parent or sibling has type 2 diabetes, the risk increases significantly, especially when paired with an unhealthy lifestyle.
5. Ethnic predisposition:
South Asians, among other ethnic groups, are more prone to early onset type 2 diabetes due to both genetic and dietary patterns.
Why early-onset diabetes is more serious:
Faster disease progression: Young people tend to have more aggressive forms of diabetes, leading to quicker decline in insulin production and faster onset of complications.
Delayed diagnosis: Early symptoms are often missed or attributed to stress or fatigue, leading to late detection and increased risk of long-term damage.
Early warning signs to watch out for:
- Increased thirst and frequent urination
- Unexplained weight loss or fatigue
- Blurred vision or numbness in hands and feet
- Darkened skin patches (especially around the neck or armpits)
Tips to prevent:
Routine screening: Young individuals with risk factors should get screened regularly.
Active lifestyle: Encourage daily physical activity and reduced screen time.
Dietary awareness: Focus on home-cooked meals rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
Public health measures: Curbing the availability of ultra-processed foods among children and adolescents is key.
Summary:
Obesity, inactivity, poor diet, genetics, and puberty-related changes are driving more young people to develop type 2 diabetes.