Why younger people in their 30s are developing diabetes early and silently. Why we should screen them.

Mumbai is a city with a heavy load of non-communicable diseases. That’s the reason the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducts a door-to-door survey every year, especially in slums, for early detection and treatment of diabetes, hypertension and blood pressure. Now, post-COVID-19, the civic body plans to resume the survey among the 30-plus age group for blood pressure and diabetes. That’s because more and more young people are being diagnosed with diabetes, ostensibly without tell-tale symptoms.
Are you seeing younger people in their 30s getting diagnosed with diabetes?
A new trend is emerging where we are seeing younger patients getting diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Not only that, both males and females in this age group have reported a host of complications at the time of diagnosis, including vascular diseases.
Do you think there is a need for door-to-door surveys to detect undiagnosed patients?
Several cases are reported late due to the absence of symptoms, which are very often mild and neglected. Diabetes is usually diagnosed during pre-employment/pre-operative check-ups. Which means that they wouldn’t have taken the test unless they were compelled. Hence the need for early screening. If we can diagnose patients early, it can stop complications and improve the quality of their lives.

Why is this age group developing diabetes early? Does it have anything to do with their lifestyle, food habits, sleeping patterns and work-related tension?
There are multiple reasons. First is the faulty lifestyle they have been exposed to since their infancy. They haven’t engaged in vigorous physical activity or undergone physical training even during childhood. All this has led to a “hamburger and cola culture”, especially among young children. These are signs of the current altered lifestyle, which begins with their school days. Most children have a diet that is rich in fats with a sustained absence of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are extremely important for the growing up years. Further, due to peer pressure, children consume a lot of fast food and have very few meals at home. This has long-term effects on their health. In addition, the consumption of too many aerated drinks and energy-dense milk shakes aggravates their parameters. All these lifestyle changes have led to an increase in Type 2 diabetes cases, especially in the younger generation.
Is there any clinical difference between diabetes detected among younger and older age groups?
A definite difference exs between being diagnosed with diabetes at 50 and 30. When a person is diagnosed with diabetes at a younger age, it results in heart-related complications. Also, the kidney function is impacted in younger diabetic patients, which again affects their quality of life. Additionally, when both parents have Type 2 diabetes at a young age, the risk of their child developing Type 1 diabetes is much higher.

What should the younger age group do to avoid diabetes?
Young people should be encouraged to participate in various types of physical sports. In fact, this should be made a mandatory discipline in school syllabi with marks allotted and factored in for student assessment. These marks should also be considered as merit for admission into colleges. In addition, children should be discouraged from screen time, be it on their mobile phones or television. Also, all family members should eat one meal together, where all cells are switched off.
Children should be encouraged to use bicycles, especially when travelling short dances. Another good tip is to encourage adolescents to use stairs as far as possible to help them stay active and have favourable long-term health. Finally, all parties for children and adolescents should not be held in restaurants but in playgrounds and schools, where a focus should be on clean, healthy food.
What should be the role of the authorities?
Both State and national governments, along with the educational system, should be proactive in promoting a good diet and a proper lifestyle, especially among young students.
Why this doctor?Dr Anil Bhoraskar, Senior Diabetolog, SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim, is also the secretary, Diabetic Association of India (Scientific Section).