Is Gen Z facing a heightened diabetes risk?

Time of India

4 days ago

The answer to the question of whether Gen Z is facing an increased risk of developing diabetes is a resounding 'YES'! The key factor responsible for this is the rise in prevalence of childhood obesity.
Globally as per the WHO, 35 million children under the age of 5 are overweight, while over 390 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 years are overweight, including 160 million living with obesity.
Childhood obesity is a growing phenomenon that was thought to be an issue only for developed countries. However, it is now on the rise in low- and middle-income countries also. This is in turn leading to the once rare diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a younger population becoming more and more common.
A ten-year study showed prevalence of T2DM increased by 36% in a younger population of between 20-39 years of age.
Other findings of the study included a rise in incidence by 120% in the younger individuals, a significant increase in cardiometabolic risk. Obesity and family history of diabetes were the primary contributing factors for the rising prevalence in both groups.
There are essentially two types of diabetes.
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The first is Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), a chronic autoimmune disease that prevents the pancreas from making insulin, requiring regular insulin injections. This typically manifests in the young population. The other is Type 2 diabetes (T2DM), which is experiencing a significant rise among the youth and the general Indian population. In Type 2 diabetes, the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin or there is insulin resistance.
Genetic factors and lifestyle factors, including obesity, increase the risk of development of Type 2 diabetes and it is this that makes it a serious health wake-up call for Generation Z.
The lifestyle and habits of Gen Z are shaping not only their immediate well-being but their lifelong health trajectories. Getting diagnosed at 20 years of age exposes them to high blood glucose for a longer period of time, which in turn increases the risks of complications of kidneys, heart, eyes, feet, and liver.
Early intervention, education, and a shift in societal norms around nutrition and physical activity are essential to stem this tide and protect our youngest generations.
Early obesity does not only affect appearance or activity levels, it changes the body's metabolic programming. Excess fat, especially around the abdomen, leads to insulin resistance, where the body's cells ignore signals from insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar.
Over time, this resistance leads to failing pancreatic function and precipitates type 2 diabetes. Young patients with T2DM then require medication, dietary management, and constant glucose monitoring which is a heavy burden for young shoulders.
Gen Z, those born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s are digital natives who have grown up in an era of unparalleled technological convenience. Yet this comes with hidden costs - screen time has replaced outdoor sports and activities, video games and scrolling through social media dominate free hours that once saw children running, jumping, and engaging in organized sports.
Urbanization has further diminished green spaces and safe play areas.
Marketing of sugary drinks and snacks relentlessly targets young audiences, normalizing poor dietary choices, placing Gen Z at the centre of a lifestyle where obesity and diabetes risk is at high levels.
Preventing obesity and diabetes requires a multi-faceted approach. Parents and caregivers must model and reinforce balanced eating habits: emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and water over sugary beverages.
Schools and communities play a critical role by integrating regular physical activity into daily routines, ensuring safe playgrounds, and limiting sales of junk foods on campus.
Policymakers and public health authorities can support these efforts through regulations on food marketing, comprehensive nutritional labelling, and community-wide campaigns that celebrate active lifestyles, like putting 'sugar board' in school to monitor and reduce sugar intake in school children.
We must take action and reverse obesity trends before metabolic damage accelerates with onset of diabetes in tomorrow's adults. We must take collective action with health professionals, educators, parents, and policymakers taking up a shared responsibility of nurturing healthier environments for Gen Z. An apple or a banana over a packet of chips, every hour of playtime outside makes our children's health worth the effort.
Generation Z stands at a crossroads today. With the right guidance and resolve now, they can live a healthy life free from obesity and diabetes. Let us harness the power of early prevention to chart a healthier course. Let us heed this wake-up call together, for the sake of our children's futures!
(Dr. Sushil Kumar, Sr Consultant Paediatrics, Apollo Hospitals Bilaspur)