Diabetes: The silent epidemic striking our youth

TODAY India is facing an alarming surge in young onset diabetes. Recent studies indicate that the country bears the highest burden of childhood and youth onset diabetes cases globally, with one in four individuals diagnosed with the disease being under the age of 35.

- DR KARTHIK VIJAYAKUMAR

This demographic shift demands urgent attention from healthcare providers and policymakers alike.

Understanding the disease

Young-onset diabetes is characterised by insulin resistance and a faster decline in insulin-producing beta cells, often presenting with more severe symptoms and an aggressive progression compared to adult-onset diabetes.

The disease's impact on younger individuals is compounded by an increased risk of early complications, the need for intensive disease management, and adverse psychological effects that can disrupt the most productive years of life.

Risk factors

The Indian population has unique vulnerabilities, particularly the characteristic 'thin-fat' phenotype of south Asians. This term describes individuals with normal body weight but higher fat accumulation around the abdomen and internal organs, making them more susceptible to metabolic disorders, even at lower BMIs than their Western counterparts.

When diabetes develops at a young age, complications tend to manifest earlier and progress rapidly.

Within the first decade of diagnosis, over 50% of affected youth develop at least one serious complication, including kidney disease (nephropathy), eye damage (retinopathy), or nerve damage (neuropathy).

These conditions significantly affect the quality of life and increase the long-term healthcare burden.

Lifestyle triggers